6285     11 


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€riuifls 


ANNA    BISHOP 


MEXICO 


1849. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PUBLISHED   BY    CHARLES    DEAL. 

AND  FOR  SALE  BY  BOOKSELLEKS  QENEKALLY. 


8  621 2 


II 


Entered,  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1852,  by 

CHARLES    DEAL, 

in  the  Clei-k's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for 
the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsj-lvania. 


i 


I 


CONTENTS 


THE    VOYAGE       .      .      .      .*       13 

Anna  and  her  Party  leave  Havana  for  the  City  of  Mexico  —  The 
English  Steamer  "Clyde"  —  Its  indiflFerent  Accommodations  — 
A  jolly  Gentleman  of  the  Old  School  —  Passengers  of  all  kinds 

—  A  nervous  Bugle-player  —  Serenade  at  Sea  —  Mrs.  Levert  of 
Mobile. 

VERACRUZ 24 

Its  fine  Port  and  Scenery  —  The  Vomito  —  Sauve  qui  pent  —  Only 
ONE  three-weekly  Diligencia  to  the  Metropolis  and  the  Interior 

—  Shubert's  "Ave  Maria"  —  Bochsa's  Harp-case  —  Deplorable 
Superstition  of  the  People  —  A  Nose  off;  cannot  be  mended  — 
Fo7idas  —  Mosquitoes  on  the  quivive  —  A  Waiter  with  a  Calf 's- 
head  —  Haul  Sauteme  and  Pale  Cognac  —  A  frightened  Music- 
seller —  Dilettanti  Vultures  —  Arrieros  —  The  Chinese  Shawl  — 
Storm  —  The  Diligencia's  Escort  —  Bonne  etoile  of  Anna,  &c. — 
Iln  route  for  Mexico. 


THE    CITY    OF    MEXICO.      .      .      .      41 

Eight  thousand  feet  above  the  Sea  —  Beautiful  Climate  —  Great 
Excitement  at  the  arrival  of  Anna,  who  is  visited  by  the  Minis- 

(V) 


VI  CONTENTS. 

ters,  Ambassadors,  and  the  Aristocracy  —  Hotel  du  Bazaar  — 
Great  Difficulty  in  finding  a  Private  Carriage  not  one  hundred 
years  old  —  No  Coach-maker  —  Napoleon  engaged  as  Coachman 
—Wealth  of  Mexican  Churches  —  The  words  Quien  Sabe  ;  some- 
times very  convenient — The  Paseo,  the  Hyde  Park  of  Mexico — 
The  Lasso — Costumes  and  Manners — Flirtations  through  Smoke 
—  Tretty  Brunettes  StockingleW — Republican  Lackeys  making 
themselves  very  comfortable  behind  their  Carriages  —  A  New 
York  Omnibus  —  La  Alameda  —  The  French  Minister,  M.  Levas- 
seur^-A  Murder. 

SHOPPING,    REFLECTING,    AND    VISITING    .    60 

Every  thing  Foreign  —  Inconceivable  Indolence  of  the  Mexicans — 
Singular  Application  of  the  Verbs  To  Compose  and  To  Woi-k  — 
A  Wealthy  and  Philanthropic  Printer — The  famous  A  la  Dispo- 
sicion  de  listed — The  Picture-dealer  —  Louis  Napoleon  and  the 
little  three-cornered  Hat,  &c.  —  French  and  German  Legions  — 
Constant  Ringing  of  Bells. 

AN    EVENING    PARTY    IN     MEXICO      .      71 

Ladies'  Toilettes  — Mexican  Punning— The  "Doodles" — Amateur 
Singing  —  Dancing. 

ARRIVAL  OF   BAGGAGE,  AND   THE  NATIONAL  THEATRE,  77 

Procession  of  Mules  —  General  Commotion — El  Teatre  Xacional 
(once  bearing  the  name  of  its  fondateur,  Santa  Anna),  a  fine 
Building  —  Its  Lessees,  Managers,  and  Spanish  Company  — 
Bolero  Dancers  not  good  French  Scholars  —  Speculation  on  Pit- 
cushions —  Their  twofold  Use — A  Parisian  Anecdote  —  Mexican 
Chorus-singers  somewhat  satirical. 


CONTENTS.  VU 

CONGRESS  —  THE   REHEARSAL  —  THE   CLAQUEUR     .      86 

The  Republic  in  danger  —  Queen  Anna  reigns  —  Morning  Row  at 
the  Theatre  —  Bochsa  in  a  Fix  —  A  smoking-hot  Rehearsal  — 
Chorusses,  Men  and  Women,  Supernumeraries,  Scene-Shifters, 
Prompter,  Orchestra,  all  enveloped  in  clouds  of  Smoke  —  The 
Medias  —  Triumph  —  Monsieur  de  la  Claque,  an  important 
Theatrical  Man. 

anna's    DEBUT   AT   THE    TEATRO    NACIONAL  .  101 

Tickets  at  Auction  —  Terrific  Rush  at  the  Doors  —  Complete  Suc- 
cess—  Newspapers'  Criticisms  —  The  Judge  of  the  Theatre  — 
His  great  Power — His  Tablespoons  —  His  Fines  on  Chairs  — 
More  Dramatic  Concerts  —  People  half-crazed  —  The  full  Opera 
of  Norma  —  Signor  Zanini  and  his  Stimulants  —  Shakspeare's 
Works  spiritedly  bound — Pasta  and  Malibran's  Pots  of  Porter — 
Senorita  Sucha  Mosqueira  —  Lucia  —  Tersiani  once  .Jealous  of 
Rubini's  Success  —  Spanish  Operetta. 

PUEBLA 123 

A  Musical  City — The  Puebla  Italiana  Compama  —  Anna  and 
Bochsa  go  to  see  Norma  incognito  —  A  Hint  to  Musical  Directors 
who  use  a  Baton  —  Senorita  Munos  —  Norma  and  Oroveso  on 
very  friendly  terms  with  each  other — Chorusses  anxious  not  to 
lose  the~Time  —  Enthusiastic  Reception  of  Anna  at  El  Teatro 
principal — Opinion  of  the  Press  —  The  famous  Father  Gi'ullo  — 
Return  to  the  CapitaL 

PREPARATIONS   FOR    TRAVEL   INTO    THE   INTERIOR    .    135 

A  Locomotive  Hotel  ffarni ;  its  Description  —  An  Aniied  Escort  — 
A  Meson — Don  Luis  Cortez  —  Napoleon  again  —  Mexican  Colours 
1* 


Vlli  CONTENTS. 

— Anna's  six-barrelled  Revolver  and  her  bright  Eyes — Ladrones 
not  unlike  Aldermen  —  Bochsa's  Address  to  the  Escort,  5  la 
Louis  Philippe  —  He  recommends  the  Diva  Anna  to  their 
Courage. 

THE    JOURNEY  —  FIRST    DAY    .      .     152 

Green  Fields  —  Humble  Cane  and  Mud  Cottages  —  Guirlande  of 
Salt  Meat  —  Pigs  without  Hair  —  Pigs'  Hands  !  —  Morceau  d' en- 
semble—  Rural  Scene. 

CUANTILLAN,  AND  THENCE  TO  QUERETARO,  158 

The  Meson — A  Lazy  Mozo  —  Don  Luis  Cortez  an  Active  Man — Suc- 
culent Dinner  —  Arrival  of  a  Reverend  Padre,  with  his  House- 
hold—  Soubrettes  for  Escort — The  Padre  made  very  Comfortable 
—  Departure  —  St.  Juan  del  Rio  —  A  Dangerous  Spot. 

QUERETARO 167 

Good  Quarters  —  The  Jesuits  against  Anna  —  The  Apothecaries  in 
her  favor  —  Theatre,  a  Cock-pit  —  A  Tortillas  Fonda  at  the 
Entrance  of  the  Pit  —  Unmusical  Sounds  of  the  Fizzling  of  a 
Frying-pan  —  A  Fast  Prompter  —  Numerous  Visiters  at  the 
Meson — Among  them  an  English  Family — Friendly  Feelings 
among  Artists — Anna  wants  to  go  Shopping — The  Family  Melon 
in  Requisition  —  Friendly  Feelings  among  Mules  —  Don  Pepe 
Silva  and  his  Crosses  —  Don  Luis  Cortez  a  Fashionable  Laquais 
— Unheard  of  Sensation  in  the  City — Twenty  Spanish  Comedies 
sent  to  Bochsa  to  read  —  A  "Cell"  wanted  in  the  Orchestra — ■ 
Doctor  Bustamente  —  The  Gold  and  Silver  Crown  —  Invitation 
to  go  to  Ceilaya. 


CONTENTS.  m 

AMUSEMENTS     AT     QUERETARO,     AND     DE- 
PARTURE   THEREFROM       181 

A  sixth  Concert  in  contemplation — Strong  Opposition  —  Mozos 
waiting  to  be  Dressed  —  A  Hint  to  celebrated  Tenori,  who  are 
anxious  for  a  Tight  Fit — Visit  to  the  SeDora  Berdusco  —  To  the 
Prefect  of  the  City — To  the  Fashionable  Apothecary  —  Soap,  a 
Current  Money — The  Convent  of  San  Francisco  —  Santa  Maria 
eclipsed  by  Anna — Don  Luis  Cortez  Dame  d'Atours  —  Francisca, 
the  Lady's  Maid,  in  the  Shade  —  The  two  Clerks  of  the  Dili- 
gencia  —  Mexican  Ladrones  perfect  Gentlemen — Guns  loaded 
with  Onions  and  Frijoles  —  The  Queretaro  Police  —  The  Plaza  — 
Bochsa  in  a  Bardic  Fit — He  returns  Home  soapless  —  Contempt 
of  Don  Pepe  and  his  Men  for  the  Police  Escort — The  chief 
Police-man  a  Hero  in  Green  Spectacles. 

CEILAJA  —  VALLE    DE    SANTIAGO      .      197 

Concerts  to  take  place  in  the  Custom-IIouse  Depot — Mexican 
Towns  all  built  on  the  same  Pattern — National  Costumes — Visit 
of  the  Fire-King  —  A  Musical  Amateur  in  the  Shape  of  a  nice 
little  Pony. 

GETTING  UP  THE  CONCERTS  .   .  204 

Committees  of  Gentlemen — The  Philharmonic  full  Band — Bochsa's 
Secretary  well  informed  in  the  Science  of  Hippocrates  —  His 
Way  of  Settling  Newspapers'  and  Printers'  Bills — He  is  a  great 
Favorite  with  Apothecaries  —  Anna's  Performances  going  off 
admirably  well  —  Another  Invitation  from  the  "Dilettanti"  of 
Valle  de  Santiago — The  Party  leaves  Ceilaya  —  El  Giiaje  — 
False  Alarm  —  Honors  rendered  to  Anna  —  The  Valle  quite  a 


X  CONTENTS. 

civilized  Place  —  Anna  a  Pet  Madonna  —  Curious  Rooms  for  a 
Concert. 

LEON 219 

Visit  to  the  Banker  —  Call  in  at  the  best  Apothecary  Store  —  Latin 
Compliments — Cock-fighting  Arena — School  on  the  Lancasterian 
and  Primitive  System  —  The  Arena  engaged  —  Singular  Clauses 
in  the  Contract  —  Concert  Preparations  —  Odd  kind  of  Money 
received  by  Bochsa  —  The  Fire-King  again  —  His  Offer  to  Anna 
of  an  Extra  Escort  —  Don  Pepe  displeased;  Money  makes  all 
right — The  Foreigner  and  the  Minister  of  Finance — Circus  Men 
and  Horses  —  A  Yankee  Chief  —  His  Reception  by  Don  Pepe 
Silva  and  Don  Luis  Cortez — American  Jokes  —  Don  Pepe  in  a 
Rage  —  The  Yankee  and  his  Troupe  leave  —  Lagos  —  Aqua  del 
Obispo  —  San  Juan  de  los  Lagos  —  Description  of  its  annual 
Fair  —  Incidents — Busy  Scenes  —  The  Secretary  oflF  to  Guada- 
lajara. 

GUADALAJARA       .      .      .      .      249 

San  Pedro  —  The  Avenue  —  The  Paseo — The  Meson — The  cunning 
Medico- Seer etario  Physician  of  the  Lady  Proprietor  of  the  The- 
atre, -who  is  ill — The  Theatre  not  a  Cock-pLt — Removal  of  Anna 
to  a  spacious  Palazii — Seflor  Ocampo  —  Anna  delighted  with 
Guadalajara  —  Her  Rambles  in  the  City  —  El  Marcato  de  San 
Augustin — Factory  of  Rebosos  —  Monsieur  and  Madame  Duprat 
• — Governor  Escorza  —  General-Commandant  Queresne  —  Colonel 
Gay  and  his  Lady — First  Concert,  the  22d  November — Immense 
Crowd — Don  Louis  Cortez  the  Sleeping  Gennaro — He  sleeps  too 
long  —  A  Scene  from  Morusa  —  Druids  with  Mexican  Colours, 
Lances,  Pistols,  and  Swords  —  Bochsa  hon-ified  —  Anna  decides 
remaining  some  time  at  Guadalajara  —  Grand  Spectacle  of  a 


CONTENTS. 


Religious  Procession — Accident  to  a  She-Doll! — A  Good  Idea — 
Romantic  Conversation  —  Duenas  superseded  by  Cigaritos  —  Los 
Torros  —  Partiality  of  Women  to  Bull-fighting. 


HOW  ANNA   LEARNED   TO    SING   IN   MEXICAN  .    267 

Itinerant  Mexican  Musicians  —  Bochsa  gives  them  a  Dance  with 
hi§  "  Old  Lady  "  —  Don  Marcos  a  Singer  —  Pasadita  —  Anna  as 
a  Muchacho  —  Evening  Party  of  the  Tiers  Etat  —  The  Singing 
Laundresses  —  La  Catatumba  —  Anna  as  a  Muchacho. 


THE   CHOLERA  —  DEPARTURE   FROM   GUADALAJARA    .    273 

Brilliant  Career  of  Anna  stopped  by  the  Approach  of  the  dreadful 
Disease  —  Visit  of  the  Governor  —  Don  Pepe  Silva  and  Don 
Marcos  absconded  —  The  Governor  replaces  them  —  Hasty  De- 
parture of  Anna  and  Party  —  The  Secretario  left  behind  to  wind 
up  Affairs  —  San  Pedro  again — Villages  deserted — The  Crosses 
on  the  Walls  —  Mexican  Respect  to  the  Dead  —  The  Aim  to  the 
Orphan — Alonzo  the  African  taken  ill — Dangerous  Symptoms — 
Goodness  of  Heart  of  Anna  —  Arrival  at  San  Juan  de  los  Lagos 
—  Alonzo  Dies  of  Cholera  —  General  Grief — Promised  Gratifi- 
cation to  Alvarado  —  "Dilettanti  Robbers"  —  Concert  gratis  — 
The  Voyage  resumed  —  Alfred,  the  Secretary,  rejoins  the  Party 
at  Leon  —  Off  again  to  arrange  Matters  at  Guanajato. 


GUANAJATO 292 

The  Apothecaries  again — Brilliant  Doings — Picturesque  Scenery — 
Theatre  illuminated. 


XU  CONTENTS. 

THE    CAPITAL    ONCE    MORE      .      .      296 

V. 

Messrs.  Laurents'  elegant  Private  House  —  Dismissal  of  the  Tra- 
velling Equipage  —  Don  Pepe  found  —  Hint  to  Foreigners  not 
to  go  to  Law  against  a  Mexican  —  Expected  Revolution  —  line 
Bagatelle  Mexicaine — Napoleon  gone  to  California  —  Anna's  En- 
gagement at  the  Teatro  Nacional — Great  Success  —  The  Govern- 
ment Salaries  to  Employees  not  paid  —  Judith  —  Don  Juan 
Miguel  de  Lozado,  a  Poet  —  The  Secretary  an  "Admirable 
Crichton  "  of  a  Man  —  Verdi's  Music  —  A  Black  Orchestra 
Leader  —  Domestic  Affliction  —  News  of  Anna's  Mother's  Death 
—  Seclusion  —  Preparations  to  leave  the  Country. 

"LE    COUP    DE    PISTOLET"       .      .      305 

A  VISIT   TO   THE  PRESIDENT   OP   THE   REPUBLIC     .     313 

The  Hymne  Nacionale  —  A  Palace  in  Darkness  —  A  Model  of  Eco- 
nomy —  Final  Departure  for  the  United  States  —  Universal 
Regret  at  Anna  and  Bochs^'s  leaving  Mexico  —  Vera  Cruz  for 
the  Last  Time  —  The  Artists  Embark  for  Mobile  in  the  English 
Steamer  "Severn"  —  A  Fine  Boat. 


THE  YOTAGE. 

It  was  not  the  intention  of  tlie  ep-en-voiced 
Anna,  when,  accompanied  by  the  eccentric  Bochsa, 
she  left  Charleston,  in  April,  1849,  to  proceed  as 
far  as  Mexico ;  but  merely  to  pay  a  short  visit  to 
the  beautiful  and  most  musical  city  of  Havana. 
Being  there  informed,  however,  that  a  trip  of  fifty- 
five  hours  would  bring  them  thence  to  the  port  of 
Yera  Cruz,  and  three  days  more  to  the  city  of 
Mexico,  by  diligencicbs^  Anna  exclaimed,  with 
that  thirst  for  new  climes,  and  independent  spirit 
of  curiosity  which  travelling  rather  augments  than 


*  A  line  of  diligencias  was  established  by  an  American  a 
few  years  ago,  running  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the  capital  of 
Mexico,  with  extension  into  the  interior  of  the  Republic,  as 
far  as  Guadalajara.  These  ponderous  vehicles,  holding  nine 
inside,  and  several  on  top,  are  made  by  a  coachmaker  of 
Troy,  (N.  Y.,)  and  resemble  the  coaches  used  in  the  United 
States. — Ed. 


14:  ANITA    IN    MnsXICO. 

satisfies  in  lier  sex,  '-''Allons !  let  us  pass  the  sum- 
mer with  the  descendants  of  the  gi-eat  Monte- 
zuma!" and  of  course,  the  portly  Bochsa,  albeit 
with  so  high  and  uncomfortable  a  degree  of  tem- 
perature in  perspective,  was  obliged  to  submit. 
The  project,  however,  was  not  without  its  dangers 
and  excessive  fatigues,  to  say  nothing  of  numerous 
Ladrones^  or  highway  robbers,  who  seem  yet  .to 
form  one  of  the  national  features  of  that  extraordi- 
nary country,  in  addition  to  the  unwholesomeness 
of  the  city  of  Yera  Cruz  at  that  particular  season.* 
The  rough,  jostling  ups  and  downs  of  coach-travel- 
ling, too,  though  the 'best  of  bad  conveyances  on 
the  route,  were  by  no  means  consistent  with  the 
lady  Anna's  ideas  of  luxury,  or  Bochsa's  dignity  ; 
still,  while  she  is  pm-ely  an  elegante  in  her  notions. 


*  This  unfortunate  town,  once  one  of  the  richest  in  the 
world,  is  infested  every  year,  from  June  to  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember, by  most  fatal  epidemic  diseases,  which  render  a  so- 
journ there,  at  that  period,  even  of  a  few  hours,  extremely 
dangerous  both  for  Mexicans  and  foreigners.  The  majority 
of  its  inhabitants  leave  it  in  summer,  for  the  delightful  city  of 
Jalapa,  4000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  70  miles 
distant  from  Vera  Cruz. — Ed. 


ANNA    m    MEXICO.  15 

she  lacks  certainly  no  strength  of  nerve,  or  her 
perilous  wanderings  over  the  world  in  company 
with  her  most  devoted  of  cavaliers,  would  long 
since  have  come  to  a  conclusion.  She  was,  there- 
fore, not  to  be  deterred  from  her  intention;  and, 
after  several  brilliant  Dramatic  Concerts  at  the 
Tlieatre  Tacon  (one  of  the  largest  and  most  superb 
in  the  world,)  where  the  lady  Anna  gained  new 
laurels,  and  a  startling  amount  of  old  Spanish 
doubloons,  the  wonder-exciting  artists  left  the  aris- 
tocratic Cuba  for  Mexico,  on  the  first  of  June, 
laden  with  the  most  satisfactory  letters  of  credit 
on  the  bankers  at  the  several  points  of  their  des- 
tination, taking  passage  in  the  English  Steamer 
"  Clyde,"  accompanied  by  a  secretary.  Signer 
Yaltellina,  (an  Italian  singer,  engaged  by  Bochsa 
to  assist  at  the  performances,)  and  numerous  other 
appendages  and  attendants. 

When  on  board,  Anna,  to  her  profound  astonish- 
ment, learned  that  her  contemplated  tri^  might 
possibly  be  accomplished  in  about  eight  or  nine 
days,  instead  of  a  trifle  over  tioo  as  she  had  been 
led   to   expect.     Tliis   was  pleasant!  especially  to 

Bochsa,  who  despLses   being   taken   in,  and   gave 

2 


16  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

utterance  to  some  dry,  red-faced  expression  of  liis 
disgust  which  has  never  been  recorded.  They 
were  not,  however,  altogether  at  a  loss  for  amuse- 
ment, in  the  way  of  Germans,  who,  with  long 
beards  and  veiy  curious  hats  d  la  Freisehutz^  and 
the  whole  bound  for  San  Francisco,  sang  every 
evening  on  deck,  Weber's  hunting  choi-us,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  getting  very  much  over-excited 
as  each  note  brought  them  a  measure  nearer  to  la 
Divina  Esjperaiiza  !  Divers  other  passengers,  of 
which  there  were  crowds,  likewise  grew  to  be 
highly  interesting.  French  bankers  and  mer- 
chants, driven  away  from  France  by  the  revolu- 
tion of  '48,  were  on  their  way  to  Mexico,  Cali- 
fornia, anywhere !  to  repair  their  shattered  for- 
tunes ;  fidgetty  Americans  pacing  smartly  the 
deck  with  immense-heeled  boots,  looking  out  sharp 
for  Mobile,  long  before  they  had  lost  sight  of  the 
Moro  ;*  New-CTrleansites,  extremely  concerned 
about  getting  home  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the 
inundations ;  Mexican  families  and  deputies  return- 
ing  from  a  tour  through   Europe,  and   perfectly 

*  A  stupendous  Cuban  fortress. — Ed. 


ANNA     m     MEXICO.  17 

satisfied  that  their  own  country  was,  after  all,  "  jEI 
pa/radiso  sul  la  tiert'a  /" 

To  say  that  the  lady  Anna  found  the  Clyde  differ- 
ing considerably  from  the  well-appointed  steamer  of 
Cunard's  line,  and  the  neat  Havana  boat  Isabel,  in 
point  of  elegance  will  sm'prise  nobody.  The  berths 
wanted  proper  ventilation;  and  the  "ladies'  Sa- 
loon''' being  a  kind  of  hen-coop  where  gentlemen — 
even  hushands — were  not  allowed  to  enter,  Bochsa 
was  miserable.  ]^o  wonder.  To  look  at  ladies 
through  a  dirty  glass  door  for  nine  days,  as  at  so 
many  dusty  manaquins  in  a  milliner  shop- window ! 
Then  the  meals  were  intolerable ;  although  an- 
nounced in  a  very  pompous,  startling  manner  by 
a  bugle  blowing,  or  rather  blasting,  a  popular 
English  air.  The  performer,  one  of  the  crew,  was 
very  passable  so  far  as  he  went ;  but,  for  some 
reason  incomprehensible  to  Bochsa,  he  would  in- 
variably stick  fast  in  the  middle  of  the  melody, 
and  leave  the  termination  to  some  future  period. 
Then  there  was  the  mail  officer,  a  stout  and  very 
jolly  Englishman  of  the  old  school,  dressed  in 
a  bright  suit  of  white  and  *a  fine  Panama  hat, 
and    who,    called    "  Commandant,"   was    a    flute 


18  AJ^NA    IN    MEXICO. 

amateur,  and  seemed  to  be  at  the  head  of  the 
musical  department  on  board,  having  arranged, 
one  evening,  expressly  for  Anna's  gratification, 
a  pleasant  serenade,  composed  of  violins,  cor- 
nets-a-piston,  and  an  ophicleide! 

On  the  fom-th  day  out,  the  steamer  arrived  at 
the  Mobile  bar,'  twenty  miles  from  the  American 
city.  Leai-ning  that  the  ship  would  stop  here  a 
day,  Anna  wrote  a  few  lines  of  souvenir  to  one  of 
her  best  and  dearest  American  friends,  the  well- 
known  and  admired  Mrs.  L.,  of  Mobile.  Tliat  emi- 
nently-talented lady,  in  whom  was  acknowledged 
that  rare  combination  of  worth  which  rendered  her 
equally  the  most  brilliant  ornament  of  the  grand 
tnonde  and  the  perfection  of  a  friend,  wife,  and 
mother,  had  the  misfortune,  as  Anna  learned  by  a 
hasty  note  from  Dr.  L.,  to  lose  two  most  interesting 
da*ighters. 

Finally,  on  the  9th  of  June,  after  dinner,  the 
Clyde  entered  the  port  of  the  pestiferous  Yera 
Cruz,  and  anchored  between  the  town  and  the 
famous  castle,  or  fortress,  of  San  Juan  de  Ulloa, 
where,  pending  the  busy  interference  of  custom- 


AliTNA    IN    MEXICO.  19 

house  and  police  officers,  Anna  and  Bochsa  went 
on  deck  to  stare  at  the  city  of  death.  The  sight 
seemed  to  make  Bochsa  very  uncomfortable,  as  a 
friend  of  his.  Dr.  G.,  had  drily,  and  with  a  some- 
what lengthened  countenance,  observed  to  him,  on 
his  leaving  Havana,  "  Adieu,  dear  Bochsa !  Fare- 
well! I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that,  above  all 
others,  you  are  exactly  the  man  to  die  of  the  vo- 
'inito.  You  will  be  just  in  time.  June  is  precisely 
the  month,  my  dear  fellow;  and  the  probability  is, 
that,  a  few  hours  after  your  landing,  you  will  be 
an  unpleasant  cadd/vre.  I  only  grieve  that  I  shall 
not  be  there  to  open  your  body!"  The  conse- 
quence was,  that  Bochsa's  thoughts  on  the  occasion 
of  their  arrival  were  widely  at  variance  with  those 
of  Anna,  who  contemplated  the  scene  before  her 
with  all  her  characteristic  animation  of  spirit  and 
zest  for  novelty. 

It  was,  in  tnith,  a  lovely  Sabbath  evening  of 
mellow  sunset,  and  the  soft  flush  of  its  fading  crim- 
son light  mantled  the  city.  The  little  landing-pier 
{JEl  Mold)  was  crowded  with  the  people,  gaily 
dressed,  and  looking  with  all  manner  of  expres- 
sions towards  the  late  arrival.     It  was  not  lon-T^ 


20  ANKA    IN    MEXICO. 

before  Bochsa  began  to  feel  easier.  For,  instead 
of  the  "  clink  of  hammers  closing  coffins  up,"  and 
deadly  black  j&ags  waving  heavily  in  the  diseased 
air,  there  were  borne  upon  the  breath  of  most 
luxurious  zephyrs,  towards  the  listeners,  the  dulcet 
sounds  of  guitars  and  sweetly-chanting  voices. 
Bochsa  almost  became  cheerful ;  and  was  endea- 
voring to  disabuse  himself  of  all  disagreeable  mis- 
givings, when  Anna  exclaimed,  "  What !  is  this  the 
desolate  and  doomed  Yera  Cruz?"  Bochsa  was 
instantly  down  again !  glared  at  her,  but  made  no 
answer.  He  only  seemed  heartily  to  wish  he  was 
in  the  Irving  House,  or  even  at  Anna's  Palazio^  at 
Naples. 

Twilight  was  now  fast  stealing  on,  and  the  rush 
for  small  landing  boats  was  tremendous.  "  Son- 
neur  aux  dames  I "  was  out  of  the  question,  par- 
ticularly as  everybody  was  desperately  bent  on 
leaving  the  city  that  very  night,  coute  qui  coute^  to 
escape  the  vomito  !  There  was  only  one  diligencia 
to  start,  though  horses,  mules  and  Uteres^  were  of 

*  Litters,  borne  by  two  mules,  containing  two  persons,  and 
just  wide  enough  to  admit  of  thieir  stretciiing  out,  side  by- 
side,  as  in  the  Russian  kibics. — Ed. 


ANim    m    MEXICO.  21 

course  to  be  put  in  immediate  requisition;  while 
many  a  donkey,  with  its  respective  SancTio  Panza^ 
was  bridled  up,  to  bear  him  insanely  from  the 
pestilential  atmosphere,  l^ever  was  the  memora- 
ble Waterloo  ^^  sauve  qid  peuV  more  admirably 
illustrated  than  on  this  lively  occasion. 

Bochsa  was  bewildered.  He  had  sent  his  secre- 
tary on  shore,  at  the  first  practicable  opportunity, 
to  secure  places  in  the  first  diligencia^  and  to 
inquire  how  on  earth  the  interminable  luggage  of 
Madam  Anna  could  be  disposed  of!  The  answer 
returned,  after  a  seemingly  eternal  suspense,  was, 
that  there  was  not  the  shadow  of  a  chance  for  a 
place  in  the  diligencia  j  and  further,  that  the  num- 
ber of  seats  and  vastness  of  room  required  for 
Madam  Anna,  Bochsa  and  company,  could  not 
possibly  be  obtained  before  Saturday,  the  16th,  the 
diligencias  leaving  for  the  city  of  Mexico  only 
three  times  a  week.*     Bochsa  was  in  despair !  for, 

*  The  want  of  an  every-day  diligencia,  on  account  of  the 
mails  by  the  English  steamers,  having  been  severely  felt  by 
travellers  and  merchants  resident  at  the  city  of  Mexico,  a  line 
has  now  been  established.  A  few  of  the  first  foreign  bankers 
and  merchants  of  the  capital  keep,  in  their  own  regular  pay, 


22  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

SO  fearful  were  the  Mexican  passengers  at  tlie  idea 
of  stopping  at  Vera  Cruz  over  night,  they  had 
actually  written  from  Europe,  in  advance,  to  secure 
not  only  all  the  vehicular  necessities,  but  every 
possible  motive  power,  in  the  shape  of  horse,  mule, 
or  otherwise,  that  the  deserted  city  could  afford. 
So  that  Anna  and  Bochsa,  as  the  night  approached, 
determined  to  remain  on  board  imtil  the  morrow, 
when  they  supposed  they  might  effect  a  landing 
with  more  comfort  to  themselves  and  security  to 
the  luggage. 

Before  retiring  to  her  berth,  the  silver-voiced 
warbler,  in  order  to  cheer  up  her  most  disconsolate 
cavalier,  lavished  her  rich  notes  upon  the  evening 
air,  such  as  she  alone  can  utter,  in  the  heavenly 
"Ave  Maria"  of  Schubert,  and  Handel's  "Holy, 
holy  Lord."  Would  I  had  been  there ! — and  such 
a  scene  to  be  enchanted  in  by  such  a  spell  of 
music !     Bold  ^before  them  the  great  moimtain  Ori- 

a  private  estafette  who,  leaving  Vera  Cruz  on  horseback  im- 
mediately after  the  arrival  of  the  English  mails,  bears  onward 
their  correspondence  with  great  despatch — the  distance  being 
about  three  hundred  miles,  which  he  accomplishes  in  thirty 
hours. — Ed. 


m 


V,  ■■■<^-, 


ANNA     EST     MEXICO.  23 

zava  rose,  its  snow-crowned  summit  radiant  in  the 
soft,  clear  splendor  of  the  moonlight,  sleeping,  like 
a  monster  that  had  crouched  himself  in  awe  be- 
neath the  sacred,  mighty  universe  of  stars ;  while 
from  the  fortress  boomed,  at  intervals,  the  deep 
mock-thunder  of  its  cannon.  Around  them,  innu- 
merable pleasure-barges  glided  in  gentle  silence 
over  the  glittering  bosom  of  the  wave,  nearing,  as 
it  were  insensibly,  the  spot  whence  poured  that 
fountain  of  sweet  sounds ;  and  the  crew  stole  softly 
on  deck,  and  bared  their  heads  in  abject  reverence 
of  the  being  in  whose  voice  there  dwelt  such 
magic  tones — a  charm  that  ravishes  the  heart,  I 
know  not  how,  and  drowns  the  soul  in  such  obli- 
vion of  self,  of  all  things  save  its  angel  harmony. 
And  so  the  first  hours  of  the  night  passed  on. 


VERA    CRUZ. 

Early  on  Monday,  the  10th,  Anna,  Bochsa, 
Secretary  and  company  were  safely  landed,  though 
not  without  some  anticipation  of  fuss,  on  the 
part  of  Bochsa,  at  the  Custom-house,  owing  to 
the  infinite  retinue  of  trunks,  portmanteaux,  band- 
boxes and  bundles  which  had  always  made  up 
the  eternal  accompaniment  to  the  Prima  Donna. 
There  was,  in  particular,  a  certain  casket  of  jewels 
which,  from  its  extent,  Bochsa  had  every  reason 
to  believe  would  be  seized,  inasmuch  as  it  would, 
no  doubt,  lead  the  officers  to  suspect  that  he  was 
about  establishing  a  vast  jeweller's  shop  in  the 
city  of  Mexico.  It  so  chanced,  however,  that, 
through  the  politeness  of  the  employees^  and  the 
foresighted  complaisance  of  Anna's  banker,  all 
the  effects,  together  with  Bochsa  and  secretary, 
passed  free  and  untouched  ;  albeit  Bochsa  was  not 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  25 

a  little  startled  at  tlie  circumstance  of  the  crowd 
mistaking  his  huge  black  harp-case  for  Ms  coffin  / 
while  other  by-standers  modified  the  idea  by 
imagining  it  only  contained  the  remains  of  Santa 
Anna,  which  conjecture  was  disputed  by  a  third 
party,  who  pronounced  it  to  be  full  of  muskets 
for  the  expected  revolution  !  Finally,  an  old 
woman,  glaring  great  rebuke  at  every  body, 
crossed  herself  with  profound  devotion,  and  em- 
bracing the  case,  mysteriously  observed  that  she 
was  perfectly  satisfied  it  contained  the  new  "  Se- 
nora  de  los  Eemedios ! "  *  fiu'ther  adding  that  a 
new  one  was  much  wanted  from  Rome,  as  she 
had  heard  that  the  old  one  now  in  the  city  of 
Mexico  had  seen  so  much  service  that  one  of  her 
eyes  was  out,  and  a  part  of  her  nose !  f  This 
last  assurance,  in  accordance  with  the  barbarous 


*  "  Our  Lady  of  Remedies" — a  wax  doll,  the  origin  whereof 
has  heen  traced  back  as  far  as  the  time  of  Cortez.  It  is  still 
held  in  great  veneration  at  Mexico. — Ed 

f  This  is  a  melancholy  fact;  and  the  priests  assert  that 
every  means  has  been  tried  to  restore  the  lady's  nose — but  in 
vain !  Even  putty  seems  to  have  failed  to  produce  the  desired 
effect. — Ed. 


26  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

superstition  which  obtains  throughout  the  whole 
Mexican  nation,  was  the  most  approved,  especi- 
ally by  the  Lejperos^  or  Lazaroni.  The  result  was, 
that  a  procession  was  immediately  formed  to  ac- 
company the  object  of  their  awe,  when  they 
were  singularly  surprised  at  seeing  the  Madonna 
caught  up  and  borne  bodily  into  the  Gran  Socie- 
dad  Hotel,  to  make  several  nights  of  it  ! 

The"  Hotel  referred  to,  which  had  been  re- 
commended to  Anna  in  the  most  glowing  and 
flourishing  terms,  was  found  to  be  particularly 
filthy  and  steeped  in  a  most  unhappy  combina- 
tion of  odors.  Mosquitoes  and  small  flat  vermin, 
known  to  be  no  strangers  to  beds,  were  on  the 
sharp  qui  vi/ve  for  anything  fresh  ;  and  in  the 
bed-rooms,  between  the  rude  stones  that  paved 
the  floor,  grass  was  observed  to  be  in  quite  a 
flourishing  condition  ;  while  the'  light  came  only 
in,  like  any  other  stranger,  at  the  door,  in  de- 
fault of  anything  like  a  window  to  admit  it.  In 
short,  the  whole  arrangement  was  so  like  a  dun- 
geon, that  Bochsa  and  his  secretary,  who  spoke 
Spanish,  went  out  in  their  unutterable  astonish- 
ment to  look  after  lodo;ino;s !     After  a  vain  search 


AXNA     IN     MEXICO.  27 

of  some  hours  tliey  pitclied  upon  La  Fonda  Ita- 
liana  (Italian  Restaui'ant,)  kept  bj  a  half-and-half 
Mexican  Italian.  Bochsa  perceived  at  once  that 
the  tavern  was  comfortless  ;  but  it  was  quiet  and 
airy,  with  windows  to  the  bed-rooms,  and  further 
that  the  said  windows  opened  on  the  street. 
So,  thither  Anna  and  retinue  were  finally  con- 
ducted and  installed. 

In  the  course  of  Bochsa's  rambles  about  town,  it 
were  easy  to  imagine  the  keen  sense  of  horror  that 
seized  him  on  observing  that  the  water  that  flowed 
in  the  gutters  was  of  a  rich  green^  exhalmg  a  de- 
cidedly putrescent  effluvia ;  and  that  the  sole  occu- 
pants of  the  streets,  balconies,  and  tops  of  houses, 
were  enormous  vultures ! — which  caused  him  fre- 
quently to  pause  and  stare  around  him,  as  if  un- 
able to  say  whether  it  was  best  to  proceed  any 
further.  The  utter  impossibility  of  quitting  the 
place  seemed  to  haunt  him.  He  had  been  in- 
formed, however,  that  good  haut  Sauterne  and 
pale  Cognac  mixed  with  soda  water,  and  the  whole 
iced,  were  excellent  preservatives  against  the  dis- 
ease, and  was  fortunate  enough  to  obtain  a  fair 

supply  of  these  commodities,  which  he  did  with 

3 


28  ANNA    m    MEXICO. 

energetic  promptness.  But  then  the  dishes  served 
up  by  the  Italiano-Mexicano  Marmiton,  were  so 
full  of  garlic,  onions  and  red-hot  Chili  pepper,  that 
they  kept  the  palate  in  one  constant  state  of  blis- 
ter, and  incapable  of  tasting  anything  else  for  a 
month. 

On  the  first  day,  at  dinner,  the  mozo  (waiter) 
perceiving  that  Anna  had  not  regaled  herself  with 
a  certain  dish  of  calf's  head,  which  he  seemed  to 
think  very  highly  of,  handed  it  to  her,  expatiating 
vastly  on  its  merits  of  garlic;  while,  in  endeavor- 
ing to  make  her  comprehend  the  fiill  force  of  its 
natm'e,  he  repeatedly  touched  his  own  forehead, 
with  a  leer,  saying,  "  Cabeza  de  ternera,  linda 
senorita,  cabeza  de  ternera!"  (Calf's  head,  pretty 
senorita^  calf's  head ! ")  which  striking  her  as  being 
a  capital  joke,  to  say  the  least,  she  was  persuaded 
to  try  his  calf  s  head,  and  see^  if  shB  could  not  taste, 
what  it  was  made  of. 

Anna  had,  of  course,  very  few  visitors,  during 
her  stay  at  Yera  Cruz,  not  being  partial  to  the 
society  of  vultures.  Still  she  took  various  strolls 
out  with  Bochsa;  and,  on  one  of  these  occasions, 
entering  a  book-store,  enquired  of  an  old  man  who 


ANNA     IX    MEXICO.  29 

sat  behind  the  counter,  looking  sad  and  yellow,  if 
a  piano-forte  could  possibly  be  hired  for  a  few 
days.  At  this  question,  put  in  very  nice  Caste- 
llano,*  the  man  darted  up  from  his  chair  and 
seemed  thunderstruck !  "  Que  dice  usted,  senora, 
tengo  necesita  por  un  piano ! "  To  satisfy  him  that 
she  did  want  a  piano,  Anna  repeated  her  ques- 
tion. 

"  Un  Piano!"  again  ejaculated  the  astounded 
man.  "  Un  Piano !  Cuerpo  de  Cristo !  Santa 
Maria  purissima!"  Whereupon,  completely  hor- 
rified that  she  should  want  to  amuse  herself  in 
the  time  of  a  pestilence,  he  gasped  out  that  she 
must  be  mad,  and,  once  more  exclaiming  "  Un 
Piano  !  Un  Piano  ! "  rushed  like  a  maniac  into 
the  back  room,  leaving  Anna  and  Bochsa  gaz- 
zing  at  each  other  as  though  they  were  stunned  ! 
A  few  minutes  elapsing,  and  nothing  more  being 


*  The  rare  and  happy  facility  which  Madam  Anna  pos- 
sesses, of  speaking  a  variety  of  languages,  accounts  for  her 
proficiency  in  the  Spanish,  after  but  a  few  weeks'  residence  at 
Havana.  I  believe  it  is  well  known  that  her  pronunciation 
of  the  Italian,  English,  French,  Russian,  German,  Tartar, 
and  others,  are  alike  most  perfect. — Ed. 


30  ANNA     m     MEXICO. 

seen  of  the  man,  the  artists  left  the  shop,  con- 
cluding that  he  was,  beyond  all  question,  out 
of  his   senses. 

Taking  a  turn  in  another  direction,  Anna  was 
much  struck  with  the  sumptuous  external  ap- 
pearance of  the  bankers'  and  merchants'  abodes, 
which  were  now  all  closed  and  seemingly  un- 
inhabited. In  a  few  instances  only  was  a  taste 
for  gaudy  colors  displayed,  to  mar  their  other- 
wise griindiose  ensemble.  One  house  alone 
had  yellow  wdndow-sashes,  sky-blue  shutters, 
green  verandahs,  dark  red  bricks,  brown  _porte- 
cocTierey  and  the  whole  framed  in  with  a  glar- 
ing white  border.  In  the  halls  well-stuffed  arm- 
chairs could  be  seen,  in  which  sundry  function^ 
aries  looked  singularly   comfortable  and  lazy. 

Yera  Cruz  cannot  properly  be  said  to  be  a  Mexi- 
can city,  as  the  continual  intercourse  of  Europeans 
with  the  inhabitants  has  rendered  it  a  sort  of 
Hamburg,  or  modem  Babel — inclusive  of  the  vul- 
tm-es.  By-the-way — about  those  vultures.  Every- 
body has  heard  of  the  musical  lizard,  who  inva- 
riably crept  out  from  his  hole  whenever  the  great 
Mozart  took  his  seat   at  the   piano   for   the   pur- 


ANNA     m    MEXICO-  31 

pose  of  composition ;  but  it  is  to  Anna's  melo- 
dious and  expressive  song  that  the  scientific  natu- 
ralists of  our  times  are  indebted  for  the  discovery 
that  Yera  Cruz  vultures  possess  prominently  the 
bump  of  music ;  for  every  time,  without  exception, 
that  she  indulged  in  the  exercise  of  her  vocali- 
zation at  the  Fonda  Italiaiia^  two  very  fine  glos- 
sy black  vultm*es  would  come  sailing  down  from 
the  upper  air,  and  perch  wonderingly  upon  the 
railing  of  her  balcony,  there  remaining  until  she 
had  finished,  when  they  would  look  at  each  other 
with  a  kind  of  gratified  nod,  and  go  off  again. 
It  was,  moreover,  remarkable  that  when  she  prac- 
tised passages  of  difiicult  execution,  the  sable 
dilettanti  would  seem  to  get  utterly  confounded 
and  take  their  flight  suddenly,  long  before  it  was 
through  ;  but  whenever  she  sang  cantabile  and 
simple  ballads,  not  a  movement  of  a  feather  was 
visible,  while  they  listened  with  the  most  pro- 
found attention  to  the  end. 

The  long  and  tediously  wished  for  day  of  start- 
ing once  more  on  their  journey  now  approached, 
and  Bochsa  deemed  it  advisable  to  transmit  the 

luggage   to   the   city    of  Mexico   by  arrieros^  or 
3* 


32  AJSTNA     m     MEXICO. 

muleteers,  as  the  unsafe  state  of  the  road  render- 
ed it  dangerous  for  travellers  to  take  anything 
of  value  with  them.  But  when  Anna  found  that 
these  same  aii'ieros  would  be  at  least  three  weeks 
on  their  journey,  she  exclaimed,  "  Good  gracious ! 
Think,  Bochsa,  of  my  being  three  weeks  with' 
out  a  bracelet,  or  even  a  ring!  and  then,  hero 
I  must  keep  on  this  same  chapeau  and  travel- 
line;  suit  all  that  time  —  for  I  am  sure  these 
Mexican  milliners  could  never  stitch  a  new  dress 
decently !" 

"  But  the  government — "  said  Bochsa,  begin- 
ning to  be  nervous. 

"  The  government,"  continued  the  spirited  cmi- 
tatrice,  "  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  himself,  for  not 
seeing  that  the  roads  are  safe  !  He  deserves 
well  that  I  should  make  my  debut  in  Mexico  by 
singing  Yankee  Doodle.     And  I  think   I  shall." 

Bochsa,  though  far  from  wishing  that  Anna 
should  be  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  any  such 
musical  extremity,  to  bring  the  Mexican  Presi- 
dent to  his  senses,  was  not  the  less  surprised  at 
his  neglect  in  this  particular,  which  seemed  to 
amount  to  positive  apathy,  likely  to  result  some 


AimA    IN    MEXICO.  33 

day  in  trouble  ;  for  Ladrones  are  now  even  more 
numerons  and  audacious  than  ever,  and  in  place 
of  the  once  terrific  command,  "  hoca  a  hajo  /"  (to 
lie  down  with  your  face  on  the  ground,)  they 
invite  you  to  this  position  with  the  same  air  and 
ease  as  though  they  solicited  from  you  the /favor 
of  a  polka,  or  some  other  polite  accomj)lishment 
which  you  can't  think  of  refusing.  Robberies  of 
diligencias  are  always  committed  on  the  same 
spots,  notwithstanding  the  station  there  of  some 
half-a-dozen  lank  bipeds,  ill-armed,  with  dirty 
linen  bands  on  their  shocking  pointed  hats,  where- 
on is  painted  something  about  "public  safety." 
When  Bochsa  saw  this  escolta^  as  these  rare 
body-guards  are  absurdly  termed,  he  seemed 
struck  by  a  sudden  apparition  of  Falstaff's  army 
of  scare-crows,  and  seriously  thought  of  engag- 
ing them  for  a  spectacle.  But  Anna  would  n't 
hear  of  it.  Great  mutual  courtesy,  however,  pre- 
vails among  the  muleteers,  diligencia  drivers  and 
the  Ladrones.  The  latter  never  attack  the  for- 
mer, and  the  former  retm^n  the  compliment  by 
minding  their  own  business  and  never  interfer- 
ing when  the  robbers  are  at  their    work    on   the 


34:  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

higliway.  "  Chacun  a  son  metier''^  seems  to  be 
the  adopted  resolution  by  all  parties.  Yet,  it 
were  but  justice  to  the  arrieros  to  write  them 
down  a  very  honest  sort  of  people,  many  of  whom 
are  wealthy  and  possess  large  numbers  of  mules. 
Besides,  all  transactions  with  them  are  through 
accredited  mercantile  houses  who  receive  and  de- 
liver all  goods  in  their  trust,  and  no  comj)laints 
are  ever  made  against  their  punctuality  and  good 
faith.  Bochsa,  therefore,  was  of  the  opinion  that 
the  luggage  would  be  perfectly  safe ;  and  on  the 
evening  of  Saturday,  the  16tb,  Anna  and  com- 
pany left  the  Fonda  Italiana  in  perfect  health, 
and,  it  were  almost  needless  to  say,  the  highest 
possible  spirits.  They  took  with  them  nothing 
but  what  Bochsa  considered  was  absolutely  in- 
dispensable, two  or  three  small  carpet-bags  and 
valises  containing  a  few  changes  of  linen  (amongst 
which  Anna  contrived  secretly  to  stow  away 
sundry  light  dresses  of  mousseline,)  having  in 
their  joint  purse  only  sufficient  money  to  pay 
travelling  exjDenses  and  to  offer  a  petite  douceur 
to  the  Ladrones  in  case  of  a  rencontre.  Bochsa's 
secretary,  who   had   travelled   in   Mexico   before, 


AISTNA     m     MEXICO.  35 

had  informed  him  that,  imless  all  the  pas- 
sengers carried  arms  and  were  resolved  on  a 
spirited  defence,  it  was  not  only  ridiculous,  but 
dangerous  for  two  or  three  to  exliibit  any  signs 
of  resistance,  as  the  Ladronea  would  select  them 
out  first  and  punish  them  for  their  audacity. 
There  was  consequently  not  a  weapon  of  defence 
among  the  whole  party. 

One  thing  puzzled  Anna  excessively.  The  day 
after  her  luggage  had  been  forwarded,  she  had  pur- 
chased a  most  costly  and  exceedingly  rich  white 
China  shawl;  and  the  question  was,  how  it  could 
be  disposed  of  in  order  to  reach  in  safety  the  City 
of  Mexico?  As  for  the  encounter  of  Lad/rones^ 
they  were  not,  in  her  opinion,  half  so  much  to  be 
dreaded  as  the  custom  ofiicers,  at  the  outer  gate  of 
Yera  Cruz,  through  which  they  were  to  pass.  For 
she  had  heard  that  the  former  were  cdballeros^  or 
gentlemen  ;*  and,  of  course,  courteous  to  ladies  ; 
but  as  she  had  no  faith  in  the  gentlemanly  propen- 

*  It  is  generally  admitted  that  Mexican  banditti  are  people 
of  rank,  whose  losses,  through  gambling,  and  want  of  means 
to  restore  them  sufficiently  for  a  fashionable  life,  urge  them 
finally  to  highway  robbery. — Ed. 


36  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

sities  of  the  latter,  as  they  were  not  yet  highway- 
men, she  began  to  tremble  for  the  fate  of  her  luxu- 
rious shawl.  Bochsa  very  obligingly  offered  to 
whisp  it  about  his  waist,  as  a  sash,  under  his  pale- 
tot, observing  that  the  difference  of  half  a  yard,  or 
so,  in  his  circumference,  would  not  probably  be  no- 
ticed. "Whereupon  Bochsa's  Secretary,  a  dry,  thin 
old  man,  and  a  very  ludicrous  contrast  to  the 
inaestro,  insisted  upon  wrapping  Mmself  up  in  it, 
in  some  mysterious  manner  which  he  did  not  di- 
vulge; at  which  the  ca/ntatrice  decided  at  once  to 
put  it  on,  underneath  the  shawl  she  wore,  trusting 
in  her  'bonne  etoile,  resolving  that  if  they  took  the 
commodity  aftef  so  much  fuss  about  it,  they  must 
take  her  along  with  it — that  was  all ! 

As  the  gloom  of  evening  approached,  the  weath- 
er, which  had  long  worn  a  menacing  aspect,  had 
now  grown  into  a  raging  storm,  swollen  with  lash- 
ing rains,  and  tremendous  sweeping  gusts.  ITot  a 
carriage  was  to  be  obtained  to  take  Anna  to  the 
office  of  the  diligencia,  and  only  one  umbrella  to 
shelter  the  entire  company.  They  arrived,  there- 
fore, at  their  destination,  drenched ;  and  were  box- 
ed up,  on  the  instant,  in  the  ponderous  and  smoth- 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  3T 

ering  veliicle,  with  three  more,  in  a  eimilar  state  of 
smoking  steam;  while  the  storm,  increasing  with- 
out, sent  deluges  pouring  in  around  the  fluttering 
leather  curtains  of  the  diligenoia. 

But  all  this  flood  of  inconveniences  could  not 
distract  Anna's  mind,  who  still  trembled,  in  her 
woman's  nature,  for  the  safety  of  her  China  shawl. 
Keaching  the  dreaded  gate  of  Vera  Cruz,  she  look- 
ed anxiously  out  through  the  rain-drizzled  glass 
door,  and  plainly  saw  the  officer  approaching  it 
with  a  lantern !  Two  or  three  seconds  would  de- 
cide the  destiny  of  that  shawl,  which  destiny  hung 
solely  upon  the  frail  dazzle  of  a  ray  of  light ! — and 
the  door  was  pulled  open.  The  lantern  was  thrust 
in,  followed  closely  by  the  officer's  eyes.  Anna, 
Bochsa,  and  Secretary,  sat  like  statues.  The  eyes 
were  making  distinct  observations  upon  her  person, 
were  drawn  back — but  only  for  an  instant — and 
then  returned  to  her,  as  though  they  had  had  a  sud- 
den thought.  The  word  "Senorita,"  was  already 
addressed  to  her,  when  the  lantern  was  promptly 
extinguished  by  a  whirling  gust  of  wind,  followed  by 
a  loud  crash  of  thunder,  slamming  the  door  to,  and 
the  officer  was  seen  no  more.     Drive  on,  was  now 

86212 


38  ANNA     m     MEXICO. 

the  word,  the  gate  was  cleared,  the  shawl  safe,  and 
Anna,  Bochsa,  and  Secretary  triumphant. 

"  Well,  friend  Bochsa,"  said  Anna,  laughing 
most  musically,  "  what  do  you  tjiink  of  my  reign- 
ing star  ?" 

"  Your  rain  and  thunder,  you  mean !"  exclaim- 
ed poor  Bochsa,  imconscious  of  the  pun,  and 
straining  every  sinew  to  hold  down  the  leather  cur- 
tain against  the  wind.  "  Bah !"  In  fact,  this  main- 
ly constituted  Bochsa's  physical  and  intellectual  oc- 
cupation long  after  they  were  joined  by  the  escort, 
a  few  yards  beyond  the  gate  ;  while  Anna  was  in- 
tensely amused  at  the  most  miserable  and  forlorn 
appearance  of  the  said  escort,  whose  services  as 
guards  she  considerably  doubted,  as  their  heads 
and  shoulders  were  completely  buried  in  a  kind  of 
blanket.* 

The  road  now,  for  some  miles,  bordered  upon  the 
sea ;  and  even  the  howling  of  the  winds  was  drown- 
ed in  the  din  of  the  dashing  surges  upon  the  shore ; 


*  "  Serape,^''  or  Mexican  mantle,  which  much  resembles  a 
hlanket.  They  are  usually  worn  as  shown  in  the  picture  of 
Anna  Bishop,  in  the  character  of  a  Mexican  boy. — Ed. 


ANNA     IN    IMEXIOO.  39 

wave  mounting  upon  wave  and  billow  upon  billow, 
till  the  huge  dark  masses  rose  above  the  top  of  tbe 
diligencia^  and  seemed  moving  towards  it  witli  an 
overwhelming  force,  till,  reaching  their  bounds, 
they  broke,  and  burst,  and  boiled,  and,  roaring, 
spread  away  into  the  deep  again,  beneath  the  tum- 
bling body  of  their  followers — and  the  travellers 
sped  on.* 

At  the  Ranclio^  where  the  first  relay  of  horses 
awaited  them,  the  sound  of  castanets  and  mando- 
lines struck,  somewhat  cheerfully  uj)oii  their  ears  ; 
and,  by  the  dim  glimmer  of  a  few  rushlights,  in  a 
small  snug  parlor,  men  and  women  were  distinctly 
discernible,  dancing  the  l)olero.  Tliis  was  an  agree- 
able change  in  the  tune,  from  the  blustering  wind- 
instrumentation  of  the  elements,  which  had  almost 
blown  them  there ;  and  the  rain  being  in  a  measure 
abated,  Anna  and  her  unsuspecting  maestro^  were 
about  to  alight  and  make  an  incursion  into  the  room 
where  these  merry  times  were  going  on.  This  pur- 
pose, however,  they  did  not  eventually  effect ;  being 


*  The  Mexican  horses  are  famed  for  their  surprising  velo- 
city, and  will  hear  comparison  with  the  fleetest  of  the  Cossacks' 
in  Russia. — Ed. 

4 


40  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

informed  that  the  players  and  dancers  were  frequently 
robbers,  or  connected  with  that  unpleasant  class  of 
people,  and  resorted  to  that  amusement  to  attract  the 
attention  of  travellers,  profiting  by  their  listening 
presence  to  ascertain  if  they  were  armed,  had  money 
or  jewels  with  them,  or  were  accompanied  by  any 
valuable  luggage.  Anna  and  Bochsa  kept  their  seats  ! 
—  the  cantatrice  observing  that  she  should,  by  no 
means,  recommend  her  old  friend  and  huffo,  Debegnis, 
to  come  to  that  country  with  his  famous  song  '■^J'ai 
de  Vargent^''  as  the  Ladrones  v^ould  doubtless  take 
him  at  his  word,  and  lighten  him  of  its  burden, 
besides  conceiving  a  fancy  for  his  Fanatico  Robe 
de    Chamhre ! 

As  a  counterbalance  to  their  disappointed 
desires,  delicious  cups  of  chocolate  were  now 
handed  into  them,  and  being  comfortably  dis- 
posed of,  fresh  and  spirited  horses  bore  them 
once  more  upon  their  route,  in  the  most  grateful 
style. 

The  travelling  route  from  Yera  Cruz  to  Mexico 
has  been  so  frequently  described,  the  grand  sublim- 
ity of  its  scenery  so  much  extolled,  and  the  re- 
markable laziness  of  the  people  so  justly  spoken  of 


ANNA    IN    IIEXICO.  41 

with  disgust,  that,  to  dwell  upon  these  features  fur- 
ther were  needless. 

In  the  two  principal  cities,  on  the  way,  Jalapa 
and  Puebla^  Anna  being  recognised  as  the  world- 
famed  vocalist,  already  announced  as  such  by  the 
Mexican  press,  every  mark  of  attention  and  defer- 
ence was  paid  to  her,  and  exquisite  hoicquets  of  the 
rarest  flowers  were  flooded  in  uj)on  her  by  the 
gentry  who  crowded  the  hotels  to  welcome  her. 
Having,  moreover,  indulged  to  some  extent  in 
pulque^^  and  toHillas^^  and  dishes  oi  frijoles^X  ^^^ 
the  smoking  of  numerous  cigaritos^  Anna  and  her 
suite  reached,  with  a  certain  sense  of  satisfaction, 
the  city  of  Mexico  on  Wednesday,  the  20th  of 
June,  without  even  the  excitement  of  a  single  acci- 
dent, or  rencontre  with  the  Cdballeros.  And, 
though  she  expressed  herself  somewhat  vexed,  that 

*  Pulque — a  common  acid  beverage  among  the  Mexicans, 
extracted  every  seven  years  from  the  Aloe-tree^  and  having  the 
whiteness  of  milk. — Ed. 

t  Tortillas — a  sort  of  pancake,  made  of  Indian  meal,  and 
one  of  the  principal  articles  of  nourishment  among  the  lower 
classes. — Ed. 

X  Frijoles — large  black  beans — the  maccaroni  of  the  Mexi- 
cans.— Ed. 


42  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

her  ideas  should  have  been  bent  upon  romance  and 
adventure  and  pistols  and  jack-boots,  without  being 
carried  out  or  realized  in  some  particular,  Bochsa 
was  of  opinion  that  his  spirited  pupil  was  by  far 
too  enthusiastic  on  the  point,  inasmuch  as  it  would 
have  materially  endangered  the  well-known  rotun- 
dity of  his  form,  if  brought  to  obey  the  uncomfor- 
table summons  of  "  hoca  a  hajo  /"  I  agree  with 
Bochsa. 


THE    CITY    OF    MEXICO. 

After  remaining  at  the  oiSce  of  the  diUgenGia  a 

time  sufficient  only  for  the  necessary  preparation  of 

a  fine  suite  of  apartments  at  the  Hotel  du  Bazaar^ 

the  artists  were  therein  installed,  with  all  the  pomp 

and    circumstance    of     "  distinguished    arrivals." 

They  found  the  house  spacious  and  commodious, 

situated  in  la  ccdle  del  Esj^iritu  Santo ^  or,  "  Holy 

Ghost  Street,"  (one  of  the  most  fashionable  parts  of 

the  city)  and   elegantly  furnished   in  the   French 

style.     It  is  established  on  the  plan  of  the  Parisian 

hotels  garnis^  meals  being  charged  separately,  and 

served  in  the  rooms  according  to  the  demand  of 

the   tenant.     The   proprietor,  Mr.   Compagnon,  a 

French  upholsterer,  has  displayed  the  best  taste  of 

his  art  in  its  arrangement,  as  well  as  in  that  of  a 

splended  cafe  adjoining,  and  entrusted  the  whole 

to  the  administration  of  Mr.  J.  Arago,  a  gentleman 
4* 


44  Al^NA     IN     MEXICO. 

of  exceeding  civility,  and  brother  to  the  celebrated 
French  Astronomer. 

Anna's  biography,  taken  from  the  Havana  jour- 
nals, with  copious  records  of  her  European  success 
having  preceded  her  in  the  principal  journals  of 
Mexico,  every  body,  it  seems,  was  on  the  alert ; 
for  the  great  metropolis  is  notably  as  much  given 
to  gossip  and  ha/vardage  as  any  spinster  country 
village  need  be.  So  that  Anna  and  Bochsa  had 
scarce  time  to  rest  in  their  princely  lodgings,  when 
they  were  inundated  with  cartes  de  visites,  and 
multitudes  standing  in  the  street,  and  staring  up 
at  the  balcony.  Among  her  first  visitors  were  the 
proprietors  and  editors  of  the  principal  periodicos 
of  Mexico,  the  English  and  French  ministers  and 
their  attaches^  Count  Cortina,  Mr.  Payno  the  dis- 
tinguished wi'iter,  Senor  Don  Jesu  Canedo,*  and 
numerous  others  of  renown.  >  r 


*  Don  Jesu  Canedo — one  of  the  most  remarkable  and  ac- 
complished statesmen  of  Mexico,  who  had  been  Minister  to 
several  foreign  courts.  Since  the  occasion  referred  to  above, 
the  unfortunate  man  was  murdered  in  his  bed-room.  The  assas- 
sin, having  strangled  him,  inflicted  on  his  body  thirty-two  stabs 
with  a  table-knife,  and  walked  quietly  out  into  the  streets, 


AJSTNA     m    MEXICO.  "     45 

"  And  now,"  observed  Anna  to  Boclisa,  "  allow 
me  to  recall  to  you  what  a  perfect  rage  you  were 
in  at  Vera  Cruz,  because  I  had  slyly  tucked  away 
some  dresses  in  one  of  your  valises  !  "What  should 
I  have  done  without  them,  maestro  mio,  as  an  ob- 
ject of  public  curiosity — I  should  like  to  know  ? 
Considering,  too,  that  we  have  two  weeks  more  to 
wait  for  our  luggage  !  " 

'■'•^  Quien  sabeP''  *  drily  responded  Bochsa,  and 
turned  to  look  after  some  invisible  nothing  in  a 
corner. 


wearing  upon  his  shoulders  the  manteau  of  the  dead  old  man. 
This  murder,  perpetrated  in  the  Sociedad  Hotels  about  7  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  was  doubtless  prompted  by  political  views,  as 
neither  money,  jewels,  nor  even  the  diamond  pin  attached  to 
the  cravat  that  served  to  strangle  Canedo  were  missing.  It 
was  believed  by  some  that  the  Government  was  privy  and 
party  to  it — by  others,  that  it  was  a  vengeance  on  the  part  of 
the  priests,  who  were  aware  of  Canedo's  liberal  principles. 
Whatever  was  the  cause,  neither  the  city  authorities  nor  the 
police  troubled  themselves  to  discover  the  murderer  5  and,  after 
a  few  hours  of  excitement,  the  general  sensation  subsided,  and 
the  country  had  forgotten  one  of  its  best  friends  and  defenders, 
—Ed. 

*  ^^iQuien  sabe?'''' — "Who  knows?" — a  reply  very  com- 
mon with  Mexicans,  especially  when,  as  in  the  case  of 
Bochsa,  they  don't  know  precisely  what  else  to  say. — Ed. 


46  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

Anna,  with  lier  usual  gladness  of  spirit  was 
prepared,  as  well  as  desirous,  of  being  charmed 
with  Mexico  and  all  that  therein  held  a  being. 
This  is  not  surprising,  when  she  saw  its  capital, 
towering  (though,  like  another  Venice,  on  mar- 
shy soil,)  full  8000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  crowned  with  its  hundred  churches  and  storied 
convents  and  gorgeous  palaces,  and  chequered 
with  its  wide,  straight  streets,  all  which,  together 
with  its  grandeur  of  surrounding  landscape,  serv- 
ed in  turn  to  bring  unto  her  mind  the  almost 
fabulous  time  of  Montezuma,  and  the  chivalrous 
deeds  of  the  romanesgue  and  cunning  Hernando 
Cortes.  Her  previous  travels,  however,  naturally 
caused  her  judgment  to  be  based  on  compari- 
son ;  and,  really,  she  could  not  help  observing 
that  the  vast  wealth  and  innumerable  wonders 
of  Eome,  Yenice,  Naples,  St.  Petersbm-g  and 
Moscow — cities  which,  like  Mexico,  were  under 
the  domination  of  catholic  priesthood — could  well 
enter  into  competition  with  all  she  now  beheld. 
Besides  which,  she  felt  that  they  not  only  ex- 
tended their  protection  to  the  fine  arts,  but  to 
civilized,  usefid  and  charitable  institutions,  which 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  47 

Mexico  was  sadly  at  fault  in ;  and  it  was  obvi- 
ous, therefore,  tliat  the  want  of  refinement,  against 
which  she  would  have  chiefly  to  contend,  was 
still  to  be  surmounted  by  some  powerful  cou^  de 
jeu  which  might  bring  this  rude  and  apathetic  peo- 
ple to  their  senses.  Yet,  there  was  the  climate  ! — ■ 
the  climate  of  Mexico !  whose  sunny  air,  all  mu- 
sical with  zephyrs'  sighs  and  birds  that  flung 
their  joyous  notes  high  up  into  the  ever-cloud- 
less skies,  seemed  welcoming  with  its  celestial 
chorus  the  fair  songstress  of  the  ITorth  :  that  land, 
whose  ever-blossoming,  eternal  spring,  like  the 
enchantment  of  a  fairy  realm,  seemed  formed  to 
be  the  birth-place  of  perpetual  love,  cradled  in 
flowers  of  undying  bloom.  Alas !  that  uatm-e,  in 
the  lavish  bounty  of  her  rarest  beauties,  should 
have  founded  there  a  j^aradise,  and  left  it  to  a 
race  whose  incapacities  but  mar  the  happy  work 
she  had  begun ! 

But  the  Mexicans  are  scarce  in  fault  if  nature 
hath  so  sj)oiled  them.  And  it  is  only  a  blessed 
marvel  that  they  have  not  gone  down  and  sunk 
away  from  existence,  long  ago,  in  their  utter  dis- 
may at  nature's  oversight  in  not  furnishing  them 


48  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

with  hat-vines,  and  groves  of  boot-trees  and  semi- 
annnal  crops  of  jackets  and  small  clothes ! 

It  was  found  to  be  a  matter  of  some  difficulty 
to  obtain  for  the  delectable  Annita  a  private 
carriage  of  any  shape  under  the  sun  short  of  a 
century  ancient,  as  used  by  the  antique  Spanish 
aristocracy,  and  in  vain  the  indefatigable  Boch- 
sa  sought  for  a  modern  coach-maker,  even  a  place 
where  European  vehicles  could  be  hired,  thi"0ugh- 
out  the  entire  city  of  Mexico.* 

At  length,  a  French  cou^e^  not  exactly  of  the 
latest  fashion,  or  formed  to  Bochsa's  idea,  but 
very  neat  withal  and  newly  painted,  was,  in 
fault  of  something  more  brilliant,  despairingly 
resolved  upon.  Moreover  it  belonged  to  a  French- 
man, who  had  served  in  the  armies  of  his  country, 
and  whose  name,  (Jn  being  asked,  was  ISTapoleon, 
as  a  matter  of  course.  Fm'thermore,  I^apoleon 
was  known  to  keep  good  stabling  in  the  yard 
of  the  Bazaar  Hotel ;  and  so,  taking  all  things 


*  Foreign  ambassadors,  bankers  and  the  few  who  sport  ele- 
gant equipages  in  Mexico,  are  obliged  to  send  for  them  to 
New- York,  London,  or  Paris. — Ed. 


ANNA    m     MEXICO.  49 

together  into  consideration,  a  bargain  for  tlie  coupe^ 
horses,  coachman  and  7nucliac7io  (lackey)  was  soon 
closed  at  an  expense  of  $270  per  month ;  and, 
as  JSTapoleon  was  something  of  a  llagueur^  hav- 
ing boasted  confidentially  to  Bochsa  that  he  had 
driven  Santa  Aima  and  General  Scott  several 
times  in  that  same  vehicle,  and  even  the  hon  cUgu^ 
himself,  he  was  appointed  by  la  divina  Anna  as 
her  coachman. 

Thus  mounted,  when  the  Prima  Donna  drove  for 
the  first  time  to  the  Paseo^'\  the  sensation  she  creat- 

*  In  rich  catholic  cities,  priests,  who  purpose  administering 
the  sacrament  to  the  sick  and  dying,  are  borne  on  their  mis- 
sion in  coaches  drawn  by  mules,  accompanied  by  twelve 
friars,  and  preceded  by  a  man  who  rings  a  very  loud  bell,  at 
the  sound  of  which  everybody,  within  hearing  distance,  un- 
covers himself  and  kneels  until  the  cortege  has  passed.  This 
act  of  devotion  to  the  Host  (or  priest,  which  the  superstitious 
believe  to  be  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ),  is  performed  not 
only  in  the  streets  but  also  in  the  houses  where,  at  meal  times, 
soups  frequently  grow  cold,  owing  to  the  servants  who  bear 
them  from  the  kitchen,  dropping  suddenly  down  on  their  knees, 
dish  and  all,  and  praying  vehemently,  while  the  gourmand 
who  waits  for  his  hot  dinner  is  as  earnestly  cursing  over  the 
chill  prospect. — Ed, 

t  The  fashionable  promenade  and  drive,  thronged  every  day 
from  five  to  seven,  P.  M.,  with  gay  carriages,  ladies  and  ca- 
halhros  on  horseback. — Ed. 


50  AiraA    IN    MEXICO 

ed  is  said  to  have  been  immense.  The  cavaliers, 
especially,  followed  her  cou^S  so  closely  that  it  was 
thought  they  had  some  intention  of  throwing  their 
lasso  at  her,  in  the  hope  of  catching  the  warliler  ; 
while  the  jpietons  rushed  to  elevated  spots  whence 
she  might  be  deliberately  devoured  by  their  greedy 
eyes. 

The  simple  neatness  of  Anna's  carriage-dress 
must  have  formed  a  striking  contrast  with  the  bril- 
liant and  eclatantes  toilettes  noted  down  by  her,  as 
worn  by  the  pretty  Mexican  women  with*  their  short 
sleeves  and  low  necks,  and  rainbow-hued  French 
scarfs.  And  then,  their  luxurious  dark  braided 
hair  which  no  possible  cap  or  bonnet  could  conceal 
in  its  rich  and  glossy  effulgence  ;  and  the  glittering 
fans  so  inhumanly  agitated  by  destructively  small 
ungloved  hands,  dimpled  and  ringed  in  the  most 
profuse  and  sinful  manner,  and 'the  whole  dazzling 
array  of  half-languishing  loveliness  moving  gor- 
geously on  their  way,  as  if  bound  for  the  Lonjd^  to 


*  Lonja — the  Exchange,  and  a  sort  of  club  and  private 
riding  arena.  Its  members  are  wealthy  foreign  bankers, 
brokers  and  merchants,  who  frequently  give  there  the  most 
sumptuous  balls. — Ed, 


ANNA     EST     MEXICO.  51 

lounge  away  an  horn-  or  two  in  linman  havoc,  or  to 
one  of  the  President's  routs  to  kill  an  evening  with 
sighs,  rather  than  engaged  in  a  delicious  drive  to 
breathe  the  fresh  pure  air  of  the  Paseo.  But,  oh, 
horror !  that  these  demi-angels,  that  might  set  the 
most  radiant  drawing  rooms  of  Europe  in  a  blaze 
of  wondrous  admiration,  should  possess  such  pearls 
of  teeth  and  gems  of  lijDS  to  be  once  degraded  by 
the  insertion  of  honid  little  cigars ! — to  contem- 
plate the  issuing  of  the  lazy-curling  smoke  that  rose 
and  scented  the  air  from  the  chemest  of  lips  and 
pinkest  of  nostrils !  Had  the  matter  even  ended 
here,  it  might  have  been  worse.  But  the  further 
aggravation  of  flints  and  tinder  which  he  saw  with 
his  own  eyes,  clicking  out  a  spark,  whenever  want- 
ed, by  a  single  stroke  of  those  murderous  hands — 
this,  Bochsa  thought,  was  unpardonable.  And  so 
do  I. 

JVieanwhile,  the  Donna  Anna  was  looking  her  way, 
towards  the  cahalleros ;  but  instead  of  being  asto- 
nished by  the  reputed  magnificence  of  their  horses' 
trappings,  and  spurs  to  the  value  of  several  thousand 
dollars,  and  saddles  worth  I  don't  know  how  many 
hundred    doubloons  —  she    simply   saw   neat    saddles 


53  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

and  very  nice  appointments  generally,  very  little 
differing  from  tliose  of  Em*ope,  and  laughed  out- 
right. She  then  retm-ned  her  observation  towards 
the  riders ;  but  very  little  of  the  picturesque  was 
even  there.  For,  instead  of  their  jackets*  being 
profusely  embroidered  with  gold  and  silver  lace, 
and  loaded  with  worked  buttons,  d  la  Figaro^  such 
as  she  had  read  of,  they  were  extremely  plain  and 
without  any  visible  ornament  at  all.  Their  color 
was  generally  blue;  and  their  material,  cloth  or 
velvet,  and  they  fitted  well  to  the  body.  The  large- 
brimmed  Mexican  sombreros^  gi'S^J?  white  or  of  a 
brownish  red,  worn  by  the  cdballeros  when  on  horse- 
back, were  highly  becoming  and  interesting,  having 
a  silver  ornament  on  each  side  and  two  small  silver 
buttons. 

A  large  number  of  the  horsemen  were  ranged  in 
a  glaring  rowf  on  a  particular  spot  where  the  car- 


*  Mexicans  never  mount  their  horses  with  a  frock  or  dress 
coat,  nor  with  a  black  hat  of  our  fashion.  About  town,  they 
dress  as  Europeans,  and  with  taste.  The  best  tailors  are  for- 
eigners, and  some  have  a  fortune  of  2  or  300,000  piastres. — Ed. 

t  As  in  Hyde  Park,  London — the  Prater,  at  Vienna — Ka- 
mino  Stroff,  at  St.  Petersburg — and  the  Chiaja,  at  Naples. — Ed. 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  53 

riages  of  the  ladies  were  supposed  to  pass  suffi- 
ciently near  to  them  to  make  matters  pleasant. 
They  moreover  seemed  perfectly  comfortable,  seated 
in  their  huge,  well-stuffed,  high-backed  saddles, 
with  all  appearances  of  well-stocked  cigar-cases 
stuck  in  the  pommel.  Their  serajpes^  or  wrapping- 
scarfs,  some  of  which  were  very  costly,  were  neatly 
rolled  up  and  strapped  behind,  as  if  in  preparation 
for  quite  a  jom'ney.  Smoking  was  not  only  abun- 
dant, but  there  was  not  a  lady,  cavalier,  child,  ser- 
vant or  discernible  biped  whatever  upon  the 
grounds,  that  had  not  the  universal  air  of  puffing 
for  a  wager.  In  fact,  Anna  had  been  informed  that 
many  a  mystic  love-language  was  put  into  practice, 
during  a  promenade,  at  the  Paseo  /  and  that  many 
a  deep  sigh  was  exhaled  in  smoke,  and  many  other 
expressions  of  feeling,  graduated  according  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  vapor  escaped  the  lip.  For  ex- 
ample :  a  cavalier  sees  his  idol ;  when  the  following 
telegraphic  communication  not  unfrequently  ensues. 

Cav.  Thou  art  beautiful !  {A  startling  gush  of 
emohe^ 

Idol.  I  am  perfectly  aware  of  it.  {An  indiffev 
ent  loMff.) 


64  '  Al^NA    IN    MEXICO. 

Cav.  Couldst  tlioii  love  me  ?  {Smoke,  languisli- 
ing  and  earnest^ 

Idol.  I'm  afraid  not !  ( Whiff,  faint  and  im- 
material.) 

Cav.  O,  why  not  ?     {SmoTce,  a  deep,  wild  volume) 

Idol.  I  love  another  !  ( Whiff,  decided,  contemp- 
tuous and  very  hlue) 

Co/0.  \  Caramba !  where  is  he  ?  {Face  hecomes  a 
natural  volcano,  and  cavalier  disappears) 

Livelier  and  more  satisfactory  conversations  be- 
tween ladies  and  cavaliers,  disposed  to  smoke  each 
other,  are  expressed  by  a  kind  of  smart  puffs  out 
from  the  right  or  left  corner  of  the  mouth,  or  one  or 
both  of  the  nostrils,  according  to  that  j)articular 
point  of  the  compass  where  they  are  to  meet,  a 
series  of  little  quick  puffs  conveying  the  hour  of 
meeting.  So,  likewise,  with  the  fan,  every  move- 
ment of  which  is  a  volume  of  nieaning — to  those 
who  comprehend  it !  But  Anna,  not  being  one  of 
the  initiated,  was  of  the  persuasion  that  the 
language  of  eyes,  on  the  European  plan,  was  de- 
cidedly the  most  effective,  natural,  and  the  least 
capable  of  deception. 

The  Paseo,  however,  was  by  no  means  exclusive ; 


AKNA    IN    MEXICO.  55 

Crowds  of  the  middle-classes,  of  both  sexes,  in  full 
national  costume,*  being  everywliere  conspicuously 
distinguishable — especially  the  women,  who  are 
the  prettiest  hrunettes  in  the  world,  with  their  long 
cJievelu've  massively  braided  behind,  and  their  tiny 
neat  blue  and  white  satin  shoes,  without  even  a  hint 
at  a  stocking ! — which  might  have  been  very  plea- 
sant in  itself,  though  shocking  to  Bochsa. 

This  class  of  women  wear,  however,  and  with  in- 
finite grace,  their  reboso^\  sometimes  covering  their 
heads  with  it,  and  the  principal  part  of  their  faces. 
More  frequently,  it  is  loosely  thrown  upon  their 
shoulders,  displaying  to  better  advantage  the 
bosoms  of  their  elegantly-embroidered  chemises^ 
of  which  they  seem  to  think  very  highly,  as  the 
exquisite  work  is  usually  done  by  the  wearers  them- 
selves, at  an  expense  of  about  two  months'  time 
and  labor. 

The  vehicles  in  which  the  Mexican  ladies  lounge 


*  As  in  the  portraits  of  Madam  Anna,  representing  ha,  Ca- 
tatumba  and  La  Pasadita. — Ed. 

t  Reboso — a  kind  of  large  scarf — not  worn  by  ladies — the 
best  of  which  are  made  of  China  silk,  and  cost  frequently  from 

150  to  200  piastres. — Ed. 

"  * 


66  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

away  their  drives  are  grotesquely  beyond  descrip- 
tion. Their  postillions  are  of  the  most  soiled  and 
rusty  character ;  and  their  republican  lackeys,  al- 
most sans  culottes^  and  perched  up  behind  their 
lovely  mistresses,  are  observed  to  be  intensely  given 
to  onions,  turnips  and  sugar-cane,  assmning  divers 
dislocating  postures,  out  of  all  taste  and  decoram, 
and  exemplifying  one  of  the  thousand  various  fea- 
tm^es  of  indolence  which  seems  to  paralyze  any 
sane  attempt  at  improvement. 

Further  on,  Anna  was  somewhat  taken  by  sur- 
prise at  beholding,  in  the  line  of  carriages,  an 
actual,  hona-fide^  gay-colored,  l!^ew-York  omnibus, 
with  four  American  horses,  a  driver  and  cad, 
thereunto  attached,  and  on  it,  in  bright  letters, 
]}^ew  Jersey  Ferry  to  Eighth  Avenue  !  How  it 
ever  got  there,  in  the  Paseo^  or  why  it  came  at  all 
— at  least  10,000  miles  from  either  of  the  two 
spots  mentioned — was  a  puzzle  to  Anna  and  Boch- 
sa  which  they  did  not  recover  from  for  some  time. 
And  what  made  the  matter  still  more  interesting 
was  the  fact  that,  just  hehind  the  omnibus,  came 
the  humble  carriage  of  the  President  of  the  Ee- 
public,  di'awn  by  two  modest  chesnut  horses,  and 


AXNA    m    3SIEXIC0.  57 

escorted  by  a  couple  of  horsemen.  His  Excel- 
lency and  daughter  sitting  within,  and  not  a 
single  featm^e  of  the  whole  equipage  attract- 
ing the  least  interest  or  attention !  The  omni- 
bus, it  is  said  goes  twice  a  day  to  a  small  town, 
Tactibaya,   a  few  miles  distant  from  the  city. 

From  six  till  eight  in  the  morning,  the  Paseo 
and  la  Ala/meda  (a  garden  adjoining)  are  much 
frequented  by  the  gentry  of  both  sexes,  in- 
dulging in  early  rides,  and  enjoying  with  much 
gusto  the  loveliness  of  the  landscape,  and  the 
fine  views  of  Chajpultej>eG  monte  (once  a  royal 
palaczo,)  of  the  principal  abode  of  Count  Cor- 
tina, and  of  the  stupendous  aqueducts  which 
nearly  encircle  the  entire  city.  This  state  of 
things,  together  with  the  balmy  Mexican  breeze, 
renders  the  Paseo^  at  that  hour,  little  short  of  en- 
chanting, and  excites  the  ladies  to  commit  all  sorts 
of  oddities,  such  as  riding  on  the  right  side  of  the 
horse,  with  skirts  of  the  brevity  of  a  common  walk- 
ing-dress, and  generally  without  any  bonnets,  hats 
or  other  head-covering  whatever. 

From  that  period  of  the  day  until  the  afternoon 
drive  (as  has  been  described),  the  elegant  and  fa- 
3* 


68  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

mous  Paseo  distinctly  changes  it  character,  and 
becomes,  in  the  interval,  the  exclusive  property  of 
the  leperos  and  other  equally  lazy,  saucy  and  ragged 
classes,  who  thither  drag  themselves  with  their 
numerous  families,  to  munch  their  tm'tillas  and/ri- 
joles,  drink  pulque,  smoke,  bathe,  wash  their  re- 
spective rags  in  the  water  of  the  ditches  that  border 
the  Paseo  on  either  side — and  make  their  general 
toilette.  The  brilliant  rays  of  a  never-clouded  sun 
serve  as  the  only  napkins  for  drying  their  bodies  : 
and,  after  spreading  out  their  fragments  of  apparel 
to  undergo  a  similar  process,  they  seat  themselves 
quietly  and  drily  under  trees,  quite  unmindful  of 
each  other,  or  anybody  else.  It  is  one  source  of 
gratification  to  believe  that  they  are  clean  ;  for  the 
quantity  of  soap  they  use  is  enormous. 

The  majority  of  these  Lejperos,  like  the  !Neapo- 
litan  Lazzaroni,  have  no  homes,  and  sleep  enveloped 
in  their  serajpes  on  the  rich  grass  of  the  Paseo,  or  on 
the  stone  benches  surrounding  the  fountains.  After 
dark,  it  is  dangerous  to  venture  in  its  vicinity,  or,  in- 
deed, in  any  of  the  streets  of  the  city,  frequent  robbe- 
ries and  murders  being  the  result  of  such  rashness. 

The  foregoing  details  concerning  the  Paseo  will 


ANNA     m    MEXICO.  59 

not  be  thought  too  minute  when  it  is  considered 
that,  in  the  city  of  Mexico — doubtless  fi*om  the  un- 
settled state  of  politics — there  are  no  re-unions,  din- 
ners, tea-parties,  or  other  social  intercourses  to  be  en- 
joyed, and  very  few  balls*  to  become  a  martyr  to. 
The  ladies  are  never  seen  dm-ing  the  day,  except 
when  devotedly  on  their  way  to  chm'ch  in  black 
gowns  and  mantillas^  or  lolling  at  their  windows, 
smoking,  in  the  most  exceptionable  and  stockingless 
desliabille.  Tlie  promenades,  therefore,  at  noon  and 
eve  (and  the  theatre,  of  which  something  hereafter) 
are  the  only  places  where  the  mannere  of  that  ex- 
traordinary people  can  well  be  studied. 

*  The  hospitable  house  of  the  French  minister,  M.  Levas- 
seur,  is  the  only  one  open,  once  a  month,  for  the  reception  of 
Mexicans  and  foreigners,  of  whose  political  opinions  the  gen- 
tlemanly and  courteous  host  is  delicately  regardless.  He  is 
assisted  by  his  amiable  and  elegant  lady  in  his  civilities  to- 
wards his  guests,  effectually  rendering  these  routs  most  cheer- 
ful and  animated.  It  is  seriously  hoped  that  the  Mexican 
grandees,  enjoying  princely  fortunes  and  sumptuous  palacios, 
will  ere  long  lay  aside  political  disputes  and  gambling,  at 
least  for  a  few  months,  and  follow  up  M.  Levasseur's  liberal 
example. — Ed. 


SHOPPING,  EEFLECTING  AND  VISITING. 


"While  Anna  was  patiently  waiting  the  arrival  of 
her  luggage-,  what  was  to  be  done  !  Bochsa  thought 
she  had  better  go  out  and  look  at  the  shops — and 
told  her  so ;  for  without  her  dresses  it  was  impossi- 
ble that  any  professional  traha^d^  could  take  place. 
They  therefore  strolled  out  together,  and  the  dash- 
ing shops   of  the    Calle  de  Platero^  Monterillas^ 

*  Reversing  the  order  of  things,  the  Mexicans  speak  of 
playing,  singing  or  other  accomplishments  of  an  artist,  as 
work,  expressed  by  the  plain  matter-of-fact  word  trabajo ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  they  use  the  word  compueste,  or 
compose  (usually  and  properly  applied  to  the  eiFusions  of  poetry 
or  music)  for  all  sorts  of  purposes.  With  them,  a  cook  com- 
poses a  dish  of  cutlets,  and  a  cobler  composes  a  pair  of 
boots  ;  in  consequence  of  which  promiscuous  application  the 
grimaces  of  Bochsa  in  endeavoring  to  be  right,  when  ordering 
the  muchacho  or  servant,  to  "  compose"  his  bed,  must  have 
been  frightful. — Ed, 


ANNA     IN     aiEXICO.  61 

Spiritu  Santo,  and  those  under  the  arcades  of  the 
majestic  Piazza  de  la  Catedrale,  certainly  proved 
very  attractive,  though  surprising  that  so  many  of 
them  were  kept  by  foreigners  and  contained  none 
other  but  foreign  goods.  Leaving  these  unexpected 
emporiums  of  European  wealth,  for  the  moment, 
Anna  drove  to  the  first  mantua-maker's.  The  ma- 
jority of  these  were  French,  who,  having  dropped 
their  family  names,  or  those  of  their  husbands  (and, 
in  some  instances,  dropped  their  husbands  too)  were 
known  only  by  the  sentimental  appellations  of  Clo- 
tilde,  Yirginie,  Esther,  &c. ;  and,  after  shopping  to 
such  an  extent  as  she  and  Bochsa  thought  necessary, 
and  chattering  German,  French  and  various  other 
tongues,  it  became  fully  manifest  to  both  that  all 
trades  and  professions  in  Mexico  were  conducted  by 
foreigners  ;  while  the  Mexican,  with  his  proud  and 
intelligent  countenance  beaming  in  his  utter  detes- 
tation of  European  blood,  stood  by,  a  mere  looker- 
on,  or,  at  the  best,  as  the  French  have  it  une  cinqui- 
eme  roue  a  un  carrosse — fifth  wheel  to  a  coach. 
Besides  which,  the  French  and  German  residents 
have  formed  their  respective  military  legions,  and 
mounted  guard  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  in  their  re- 


62  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

Bpective  national  uniforms,  wliicli  they  display  with 
as  much  ostentation  as  they  would  in  Paris  or  Yi- 
enna.  They  have  likewise  established  a  fire-com- 
pany, (a  thing  never  heard  or  dreamed  of  before  in 
the  country,)  and  provided  themselves,  at  their  own 
expense  with  all  the  necessary  apparatus. 

The  Steamboat,  too,  the  first  ever  made  and 
used  in  the  interior  of  the  Mexican  Republic — 
which  is  to  navigate  on  the  lake  Chalco^  border- 
ing the  city,  and  to  bring  daily  to  the  market  all 
the  necessities  of  good  living,"*  is  the  sole  result 
of  a  Frenchman.  One  of  the  best  periodicals, 
too,  published  in  Mexico,  and  certainly  the  only 
one  that  has  the  courage  to  mirror  the  country 
as  it  is,  is  edited  (in  French)  by  Mons.  Masson. 
The  only  book-store  where  European  standard 
works  and  French  and  English  journals  can  be 
obtained,  is  kept  by  M.  Devaur,  from  Paris ;  and 
the  only  shop  where   good    engravings   from   the 


*  Now  accomplished  with  great  difficulty  and  loss  of  time 
by  small,  rude  Indian  canoes,  of  the  shape  of  those  used  three 
centuries  ago,  without  a  rudder,  and  managed  with  a  stick  by 
one  person  only. — Ed. 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  63 

great  masters  can  be  seen,  is  under  the  direction 
of  a  Mons.  Morean,  tlie  other  depots  of  prints 
dealing  chiefly  in  religious  (or  rather  irreligious) 
daubs,  and  not  very  particular  about  epochs  and 
history — the  ti'uth  of  which  was  exemplified  to 
Bochsa  in  the  following  odd  manner: 

It  so  chanced,  that,  one  day,  Anna  being  de- 
sirous of  a  model  for  the  purpose  of  manufactur- 
ing a  French  cap  of  liberty — Bochsa's  attention 
was  attracted  in  the  street  by  a  large  oil  painting, 
scarcely  dry,  which  hung  up  in  one  of  the  shop- 
windows  of  a  Mexican  dealer.  It  represented 
the  Emperor  E^apoleon,  receiving  a  crown  of 
laurel  from  the  hand  of  the  goddess  of  liberty. 
The  well-known  features  of  the  hero  were  faith- 
fully delineated,  the  hat,  the  historical  gray  pale- 
tot^ and  even  the  spy-glass,  were  perfect.  ITot- 
withstanding  this  accuracy,  Bochsa  was  puzzled. 
He  could  not  possibly  comprehend  what  the  deity 
of  the  French  Republic  had  to  do  with  the  Em- 
peror ISTapoleon,  or  what  the  date,  "  1848,"  could 
mean,  backed  up  by  the  words — "  Bepuljlique 
dcmocratiqiie''' — ^painted  on  the  flags  in  conjunc- 
tion  with    the   eagle !     Bochsa    instantly   entered 


64  AJSTNA     m    MEXICO. 

the  shop,  and  inquired  earnestly  what  the  pic- 
ture all  meant. 

The  man  assured  Bochsa,  with  a  low  bow  and 
delighted  grin,  that  it  was  a  picture  of  Louis 
ISTapoleon — "  el  Presidente  de  la  Bepublica  Fran- 
cesa  !  " 

"  I  think  you  must  be  mistaken,  caro  senor^'* 
responded  the  astonished  Bochsa.  "That  picture 
is  of  the  great  l^apoleon,  uncle  to  Louis,  Look 
at  the  dress  ! — and  that  hat !  why,  the  president 
of  the  present  French  Republic  wears  mustachios  ! 
— and  whiskers ! — and  dresses " 

"^'  Quien  sahe^  caballero  V  interrupted  the  dealer, 
raising  his  eye-brows  with  a  shrug.  "  All  I 
know  is  that  the  painter,  a  Prabajador  of  great 
promise,  has  been  perfectly  in  the  right  to  antici- 
pate the  wish  of  so  many,  that  Louis  Kapoleon 
were  some  such  man  as  his  uncle  !  Besides,  a 
Napoleon  with  whiskers  and  a  French  hat  would 
never  sell  in  the  world  !  Now,  I've  just  sold 
this  classical  trcd)ajo^  for  five  dollars!  What  do 
you  think  of  that  ? — and  two  more  ordered !  So, 
if,  senor  cahallero^  you  would  like  one " 

"  Like  one  /"  gasped  Bochsa,  and  quit  the  shop. 


A^STNA     m     MEXICO.  65 

Anna  fm-ther  discovered  that  bankers,  brokers, 
and  even  the  washerwomen  were,  all,  either 
French  or  German ;  and  that  the  type  of  grisette 
which  characterized  the  latter,  both  in  bright 
eyes  and  neat  little  frocks  and  caps,  had  lost 
none  of  its  exquisite  quaintness  in  the  transplan- 
tation. 

"  Bless  me  ! "  said  she,  Anna  was  pai-t-ial  to 
the  Mexicans,  "  how  foreign  every  body  and  every 
thing  is  in  this  great  country  !  " 

",Yes,"  sighed  Bochsa,  over  the  dinner  table. 
"Every  thing  is  foreign,  but  the  cooking — the 
very  thing  that  most  needs  to  be ! " 


Numbered  among  the  morning  rambles  of  the 
fair  cantatrice  were  those  to  the  jpalacio  and 
printing  establishment  of  senor  Don  Ignacio  Cum- 
pledo. 

This  gentleman,  proprietor  of  the  periodical, 
called  "  El  Siglo  XIX,"  (a  journal  much  sought 
after  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  on  account  of  its 
moderation   and    good    sense) — wishing    to    avail 


66  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

himself  of  all  the  latest  European  improvements 
connected  with  his  business,  recently  visited 
ISTew-Tork,  Paris,  London,  Vienna  and  Berlin 
for  that  purpose  ;  and,  being  a  man  of  taste 
atid  ample  fortune,  he  brought  over  to  Mexico, 
and  there  introduced,  steam  presses,  experienced 
lithographers,  with  many  of  the  more  suhstantial 
inventions  of  the  age ;  besides  a  rare  and  costly 
collection  of  articles  of  Yei'tu^  which  have  given 
to  his  house  all  the  attraction  of  a  museum.*  In 
connection  with  this,  the  Don,  being  a  distin- 
guished horticultm-alist,  has  crowded  his  exten- 
sive conservatories,  conducting  to  the  saloons, 
with  the  choicest  exotics  of  the  earth.  And  then 
the  elegant  YoUere,  sparkling  with  little  fountains 
and  richly  musical  with  beautiful  canaries  ;  and 
then  the  saloons  themselves,  with  their  elabo- 
rately -inlaid  fm'niture,  magnificent  mantel-clocks 
d  la  Louis  XIY.,  the  full-toned  Broadwood  grand 
piano,  Chinese  mandarins  bowing  from  all  cor- 
ners in   their  porcelain   importance,  little  orches- 


*  Much  in  the  marvellous  style  of  the  residence  of  Victor 
Hugo,  in  Paris. — Ed. 


ANNA    m    IVIEXICO.  67 

tral  organs  playing  popular  airs,  bright  voluptu- 
ous Turkey  carpets,  indolently  inviting  stuffed 
sofas,*  exquisite  Psyches^  and  paintings  and 
engravings  of  the  finest  beauty  encased  in  heavy 
golden  gothic  frames  ;  and  then,  in  the  spacious 
dining-hall,  complete  and  massive  services  of 
Sevres  and  Dresden^  ponderous  silver  tankards  of 
all  shapes,  huge  chiselled  candelabras,  fantastic 
Bohemian  glasses,  curiously  wrougM  liqueur' 
stands,  astonishing  dishes  of  wax-fruits,  "  au  natu- 
rel,''^  mysteriously  corked  wine-bottles  that  were 
never  known  to  be  brooched — were  all  crowding 
the  highly-polished  sideboards  of  the  richest  ma- 
hogany that  seemed  to  grow  purple  under  their 
weight.  Anna  and  Bochsa  were  led  out  of  this 
apartment  effectually  bewildered,  and  concluding 
that  printers  in  those  parts  were  certainly  great 
men ;  and  subsequently  discovered  that  the  kitchen 
was  not  too  remote  fi'om  it  to  have  been  planned 
by  an  epicure   whose  motto   is  "  serves  chaud  ! " 


*  Mexican  sofas,  that  is  to  say,  made  by  Mexican  carpen- 
ters, are  simply  uncomfortable  wooden  benches,   without  a 
sign  of  a  cushion,  covered  merely  with  a  thin,   light  chintz  ; 
they  are  very  cool,  however,  and  healthy. — Ed. 
6* 


bo  ANNA     m     MEXICO. 

That  the  artistes  were  satisfied  is  no  matter 
of  marvel;  albeit  at  each  exclamation  of  admir- 
ing wonder  at  sundry  rarities,  the  Don  never 
failed  to  reply  to  it  with  that  conventional  formula 
of  Mexican  comiesy,  "  a  la  dis_posicion  de  usted  !  " 
or,  in  plain  English — "  it  is  at  your  disposal ! " 
— the  bare-faced  emptiness  of  which  is  so  very 
ridiculous.  Yet,  let  a  stranger  express  his  admi- 
ration of  a  Mexican's  horse,  carriage,  or  even  his 
palace  and  it  is  invariably  "  at  his  disposal " — 
which  most  extraordinary  exaggeration  of  j^olitcsse 
caused  Bochsa  to  revolve  in  his  mind  the  probable 
consequences  of  a  stranger  admiring  a  Mexican's 
wdfe  !  Seriously,  it  is  a  very  absurd  overcharge 
of  com23laisance,  and  no  stranger  should  hesitate 
to  take  the  Mexican  at  his  word,  and  thus  as- 
tound him  out  of  his   folly. 

Leaving  the  Palacio,  though  without  taking  it 
with  her — for  it  was  "  at  her  disposal " — Anna 
then  visited  the  adjacent ,  printing  establishment. 
The  steampresses  were  vigorously  at  work  on  the 
afternoon  "  daily,"  and  the  first  sheet  was  offered  to 
Anna,  who  received  the  impression  very  delight- 
fully, and  transferred  it  to  Bochsa  to  put  into  his 


ANNX    IN     JNIEXICO.  69 

pocket.  Thence  they  proceeded  to  "the  apartments" 
of  the  journeymen  printers,  which  certainly  evinced 
a  singular  degree  of  philanthropy  on  the  part 
of  the  proprietor.  Here,  there  was  absolutely  "  at 
the  disposal "  of  each  man  and  "  devil "  a  neat  little 
room  all  to  himself,  with  a  bed,  table,  mirror,  slip- 
pers, and  every  conceivable  article  necessary  for  an 
miexceptionable  toilette,  including  tooth  and  nail 
hms?ces,  bottles  of  cologne,  a\\d  altogether  magnifi- 
cently off  for  soap.  The  gerant,  or  head-master 
general  of  the  colony,  had  also  a  room,  with  an 
aperture  through  which  he  could  somehow  discover 
what  i^assed  in  all  the  others.  Near  by,  was  a 
little  chaj^el  where  divine  service  was  performed  on 
Sundays  and  holidays.*  Just  beyond,  an  inviting 
refectory  ;  and  oft',  on  another  side,  a  cool  smoking- 
room  ;  and  just 'below,  a  garden  with but  it 


*  The  great  frequency  of  these  days  is  a  source  of  continual 
disgust  to  travellers,  who,  when  they  least  expect  it,  find  all 
the  shops,  and  even  markets,  shut.  The  churches,  the  Paseo, 
and  the  theatre  are  the  only  resorts  on  such  occasions,  when 
they  are  usually  crowded  to  denseness.  They  occur,  in  some 
instances,  two  or  three  times  a  week,  when  one  almost  inces- 
sant bell-ring-ing  is  the  consequence. — Ed. 


70  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

were  best  to  stop  here ;  —  or  tlie  honest  fellow 
who  sets  up  this  page  in  type  may  dream  of  emi- 
grating suddenly  after  nail-brushes  and  £au  de  Co- 

loqne. 


AN    EYENING    PAKTY   IN   MEXICO. 

An  evening  party  in  Mexico !  Good  gracious  ! 
"  Can  sucli  things  be  ? "  The  annonncement  was 
ahnost  a  coii/p  d  ''etat  I — a  ]yronunciamento  !  The 
fashionable  world  couldn't  believe  it!  And  yet, 
how  was  it  that  so  many  fair  ^enitentes  were  heard 
of  running  to  their  confessors  to  laiow  if  theix  souls 
would  be  positively  in  danger  (there  was  no  ques- 
tion of  the  heart)  if  drawn  into  the  delirious  vortex 
of  music  and  dancing  at  the  threatening  rout  of 
Seliora  Yanderlinden  ?  But  Senora  Vanderlinden 
knew  precisely  what  she  was  about ;  for  she  had 
planned  it  all  expressly  in  honor  of  Anna,  the  fair 
cantatrioe  I  and  the  very  elite  of  the  heau  monde 
were  to  be  there. 

General  Yanderlinden,  husband  of  the  Senora, 
and  an  eminent  physician  at  the  head  of  the  Mexi- 
can Military  Hospitals,  though  a  Em-opean  by  birth, 
was   a  naturalized   Mexican  ;   and,   as   his   wife's 


72  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

mansion  was  a  perfect  hijou,  and  both  lie  and  liia 
wife  most  amiable  hosts,  it  was  not  to  be  denied,  on 
reflection,  that  they  conld  hazard  things  which 
others  conld  not  think  of. 

So,  on  the  night  set  apart  for  this  exciting  no- 
velty, Anna  and  Bochsa  were  driven  by  N^apoleon 
to  the  scene  of  action.  There,  they  found  no  ush- 
ers taking  up  the  entire  door-way  to  announce  them  ; 
but,  at  the  top  of  the  staircase,  near  an  elegant 
conservatory,  stood  the  General  himself,  taking  each 
lady  under  his  arm  as  she  came  up,  and  conducting 
her  to  his  wife  in  the  principal  drawing-room,  leav- 
ing the  gentlemen  to  find  their  own  way,  and  to 
have  the  kindness  to  do  exactly  as  they  pleased. 
And  for  Anna  was  reserved  the  place  d  ^Jionneur 
by  the  side  of  the  leading  hostess. 

Now  Anna  had  heard,  or  somewhere  read,  that 
the  Mexican  ladies  were  sadly  deficient  in  taste  and 
refinement  of  manners  of  the  salon.  This,  on  the 
present  occasion,  she  found  to  be  a  mistake. 
Instead  of  the  gaudy  and  glaring  colors  she  had 
remarked  at  the  Paseo^-  nearly  all  of  them  wore 
chaste  white  mousselin^s  embroidered  in  a  rich  but 
tasteful  style.    They  were  further  unengaged  with 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  73 

flints,  tinder  or  cigars  ;  though  the  magic  and  all- 
oraciilous  fan  was  kept  incessantly  waving  through 
all  its  infinity  of  significant  curves — but  doubtless 
in  a  very  innocent  way,  and  more  from  habit  than 
any  serious  intention  of  carnage,  since  no  gentlemen 
were  in  sight  at  the  time.  Their  general  manner 
was  reserved,  disturbing  themselves  little  by  con- 
versation. Some  were  very  pretty — exceedingly 
pretty — and  their  look,  though  poets  would  call  it 
languishing^  struck  Anna  as  being  rather  sleepy 
than  otherwise.  Still,  on  the  whole,  nothing  vulgar 
or  outre  marred  the  dazzling  coii;p  d  ''amil^  to  which 
diamonds  and  other  glittering  gems  lent  their  most 
radiant  effulgence. 

Meanwhile,  the  gentlemen  (including  Bochsa) 
were  dispersed  through  the  other  apartments,  dis- 
cussing politics  and  pates^  gambling,  smoking  and 
patronizing  the  choice  wines  of  the  General  who, 
applying  the  famous  "  a  la  disposioio7i  de  listed  "  to 
some  delicious  Lafitte  and  sparkling  Montebello 
which  he  lavished  around  him,  gave  a  touching 
lesson,  en  passant^  to  the  parsimonious  and  very 
nonsensical  Mexicans. 

Bochsa,  too,  was  treated  with  every  mark  of  re- 


74  AKNA    IN    SIEXICO. 

spectful  distinction.  Sundry  Cahalleros  pressed 
upon  him  the  subject  of  music  with  great  apparent 
interest,  some  of  whom  seemed  to  be  incorrigible 
wags  ;  for  they  asked  him  earnestly  "  if  the  great 
Musard^  who  wrote  Don  Giovanni,  was  still  alive  ? " 
— and,  moreover,  "why  the  'mosquitos  in  France 
were  so  celebrated  ? " — as  they  had  heard  that  the 
last  opera  in  Paris  was  called  "  Los  Mosquiteros  de 
la  Beyna!  "  * — and  lastly  confounded  him  by  in- 
quiring if  the  "  Doodles"  f  were  at  all  musical  coti- 
noisseurs  !  Bochsa  is  said  to  have  gravely  corrected 
this  absm'd  appellation  of  "  Doodles,"  and  to  have 
complimented  our  nation  in  the  highest  terms  on 
its  universal  refinement  of  taste  in  all  the  arts. 

Previous  to  the  dance,  two  of  the  ladies  (ama- 
teurs) sang  with  exceeding  nicety  the  duet  of  '-'•Deh 
con  fe,"  from  Korma.    The  l^orma  had  a  voice  of 


*  Meaning  the  "  Musketeers  of  the  Queen.''''  The  French 
word  mousquetahes,  heing  very  similar  in  sound  to  the  Spanish 
mosquiteros,  which  signifies  a  set  of  gauze  bed-curtains  to 
guard  against  the  incursions  of  mosquitos,  and  the  whole  being 
confused  together  probably  led  to  this  horrible  mistake,  or,  at 
best,  most  miserable  pun. — Ed. 

f  A  facetious  but  very  undignified  term  which  they  applied 
to  the  Americans! — Ed. 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  75 

much  richness,  and  gave  Bellini's  immortal  beauties 
with  great  exj^ression.  The  duet  was  accompa- 
nied hj  Mons.  Michel,  a  Frenchman,  the  only 
singing-master  in  Mexico  ! 

The  desire  to  hear  Anna  now  grew  to  be  intense. 
She  had  not,  however,  made  her  debut  in  public ; 
and  the  courteousness  of  the  assembly  in  not  press- 
ing the  matter,  under  the  circumstances,  was  only 
equalled  by  their  regret  and  impatient  longing  for 
the  treat  they  had  in  store.  Whereupon,  the  gen- 
tlemen being  summoned  to  join  the  ladies  in  the 
dance,  quadrilles,  waltzes,  gallopes  and  polkas 
were  entered  into  with  great  spirit — amazing  spirit, 
considering  the  national  apathetic  laziness  and  non- 
cTiala/nce  of  the  people.  Yet,  though  the  ladies  may 
perhaps  be  not  quite  so  aa  fait  in  the  Terpsichorean 
art  as  the  belles  of  America  and  Europe,*  they 
moved  and  wound  along  through  the  labyrinth 
of  enjoyment  with  an  ease  and  abandon  that  was 
singularly  charming. 

The  Mexicans  have  no  dances  or  music  peculiar- 


*  There  is  no  such  thing  in  Mexico  as  a  dancing  Academy. 
—Ed. 

7 


76  ANNA     m     MEXICO. 

ly  national,  with  tlie  exception  of  something  of  a 
wild  Indian  style,  accompanied  by  uncouth  airs, 
and  totally  unfit  for  a  drawing-room.  Occasionally, 
a  slow  Spanish  fandango  is  introduced ;  but,  as  few 
people  on  earth  are  so  desirous  of  being  considered 
civilized  and  jfashionahle  (terms  which  are  too  fre- 
quently the  extreme  opposites  of  each  other)  the 
Em-opean  dances  are  preferred. 


AEEIYAL    OF    LUGGAGE,    AKD 
THE    J^ATIONAL    THEATRE. 

YivAT  !  The  Fourtli  of  July  was  duly  celebrat- 
ed by  tbe  arrival  of  trmiks,  carpet-bags,  band- 
boxes, bundles  and  Bochsa's  harp-case,  after  a 
lugging  of  about  three  weeks.  The  procession 
of  mules  that  brought  the  artistic  and  precious 
burden,  surely  little  thought,  modest  beasts  as 
they  are,  that  on  the  safety  of  their  own  necks 
depended  the  sum  total  of  hopes  and  absolutely 
new  life  of  the  entire  city  of  Mexico ! — and  scarce, 
in  fact,  had  they  reached  the  tavern,  where  the 
a/rrieros  most  do  congregate  and  lodge,  when 
the  event  was  blown  about  like  gunpowder,  start- 
ing even  the  laziest  to  a  keen  sense  of  the  antici- 
pated revolution.  The  box-office  of  the  National 
Theatre  was  besieged,  and  Anna's  Hotel  wildly 
bombarded  by  legions  of  dilettanti  to  ascertain 
lohen  the  first  night  was  to  come  off. 


•■  ^' 


78  AlINA    IN    MEXICO. 

'Now,  in  the  city  of  Mexico  there  are  three 
theatres ;  the  National,  the  Principal  and  the 
Ifeio  Mexico,  all  of  which  are  rented  by  the  same 
"  management,"  who  likewise  are  at  the  head 
of  several  gambling-houses.  And,  as  the*  theatres 
are  not,  in  the  long  run,  so  satisfactory  a  specu- 
lation as  the  Monte  tables,  the  said  "  manage- 
ment" have  closed  the  PTincijpal  and  the  New 
Mexico,  keeping  the  National  alone  in  full  play 
all  the  year  round.  That  establishment,  though 
not  to  be  compared  with  the  Tacon  of  Havana, 
La  Scala  of  Milan  or  the  San  Carlo  of  Naples — 
is  not  the  less  a  fine  building,  which,  from  the 
third  floor  up,  is  also  an  hotel.  It  is  situated  in 
the  Calle  Berga/ra,  and  was  erected  when  Santa 
Anna  ruled  Mexico,  at  which  time  it  bore  his 
name.  Since  then,  being  somewhat  ashamed  of 
its  godfather,  it  has  been  called  simply  the  Teatro 
National. 

By  the  way,  Bochsa — excuse  the  digression — 
Bochsa,  I  say,  once  related  to  me  a  very  dry  anec- 
dote, the  point  of  which  is  not  a  bad  satire  on  cha- 
meleon governments,  and  to  the  substance  where- 
of he  was  an  ocular  witness  during  the  brief  space 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  T» 

of  thirty-five  years.  Says  Bochsa — when  Louis 
XYm.  first  returned  to  Paris,  all  the  shops  and 
public  buildings  displaying  on  their  signs  the  word 
"  Imperiale" — as  "  Tresorerie  Imjperiale^''  '■''  Lot- 
terie  Iiiiferiale^''  etc. — instantly  blotted  it  out  and 
substituted  "Eoyale."  Before  this  became  dingy 
with  time,  on  the  arrival  of  Napoleon  from  El- 
ba, "  Royale"  was  expunged,  and  again  "  Iin- 
periaW''  loomed  in  its  place,  but  was  scarce 
dry  when  Louis  XYHI.  came  back  again!  The 
Parisians  now  disgusted  at  the  expense  of  paint, 
time  and  trouble  used  in  these  continual  altera- 
tions, struck  out  simply  the  "  Imperi " — ^leaving 
the  space  before  the  "  aW''  to  be  filled  up  by 
the  imagination,  according  to  circumstances,  until 
something  of  a  definite  understanding  could  be 
come  to.  ]^or  have  they  recently  substituted  the 
word  '"'' Nationale''''  without  seriously  meditating 
— so  Bochsa  says — on  the  exjDediency  of  jointly 
petitioning  for  a  National  paint-pot ! 

To  resume,  at  the  Teatro  National  of  Mexico, 
four  nights  out  of  the  week  are  devoted  to  the 
acting  of  a  Spanish  Dramatic  Company,  leaving 
only  the   Wednesdays   and   Saturdays   free.      On 


80  AJSTNA     IN     MEXICO. 

Sundays,  there  are  two  performances,  afternoon 
and  evening.  Most  of  the  stalls  (in  number, 
615,)  and  boxes  (numbering  75)  are  pre-engaged 
by  yearly  subscriptions  ;  and,  as  there  is  no 
other  establishment  of  the  kind  open  in  the  city, 
and  the  character  of  the  people  so  eager  for 
continual  change,  a  spectacle  can  scarce  be  re- 
presented twice  in  succession  ;  so  that  the  un- 
fortunate stage-manager,  who  is  dignified  by  the 
name  of  the  "  author,"*  is  obliged  to  keep  his 
brain  upon  a  constant  rack  in  order  to  eke  ouj; 
the  thirty  pieces  per  month  for  the  gratification 
of  his  subscribers !  How  some  of  our  managers 
here  would  perspire  in  that  country  !  And  then, 
after  a  comedy,  usually  follows  a  hallet^  the 
director  of  which  is  styled  the  Primo  Bolero. 
It  Is  a  poor  Spanish  affair,  however,  and  is  cer- 
tainly not  worth  the  expense  .of  the  enormous 
amount  of  castanets^  per  year,  upon  which  it 
deals  such  unmerciful  destruction — ^noise   seeming 


*  So  called,  though  he  never  is  known  to  write  any  thing, 
all  the  pieces  being  Spanish  translations  from  the  French. — 
Ed. 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  81 

to  be  its  great  vital  purpose,  that  it  may  end 
off,  as  much  as  to  say — "  What  do  you  think  of 
that!" 

In  addition  to  holeros^  fandangos^  &c.,  the  Primo 
Bolero  and  the  Primera  Bolera  sometimes  indulge 
themselves  and  the  public  in  a  French  pas  de  deux , 
— styled,  with  a  facetious  erroneousness,  on  the 
play-bills,  "j^o-s  doux''' — 7iot  sweet  I  And  certainly, 
as  Bochsa  says,  nothing  could  be  a  more  bitter 
spectacle  than  that  of  awkward,  fidgetty,  uncastan- 
etted  hands  and  attitudes  of  most  Bolerian  extra- 
vagance, attempting  to  work  their  passage  through 
the  aerial  achievements  of  La  Taglioni,  Carlotta 
Grisi,  or  the  Monplaisirs  ! 

The  balustrade  of  the  boxes,  being  exceedingly 
low,  a  fair  opportunity  is  afforded  for  an  advan- 
tageous view  of  the  ladies  and  their  display  of 
toilette.  Behind  each  box  is  a  small  private 
room  (as  in  the  Opera  Comique  at  Paris)  where 
they  retire  to  take  ices  or  chocolate  by  way  of 
entr^actes^  and  usually  furnished  with  a  carpet, 
mirror,  arm-chairs  and  a  small  table,  at  the  ex- 
pense, and  according  to  the  taste,  of  the  subscri- 
bei*s.  It  is  very  seldom  that  a  lady  comes  to  the 
•4* 


82  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

theatre  without  her  bouquet,  which  is  always  a 
most  choice  and  expensive  article,  frequently  cost- 
ing fifteen  or  twenty  dollars.  Of  course,  the 
boxes,  pit  and  gallery  all  smoke  ;  and  it  is  rather  a 
curious  sight  to  see  flints  and  tinder  continually  at 
work  in  some  part  of  the  house  or  another.  The 
atmosphere  of  the  theatre  is,  in  consequence,  much 
the  same  as  that  of  a  large  and  popular  tavern,  which 
is  a  source  of  excessive  discomfort  to  foreigners. 
The  daily  increasing  influx,  however,  of  Europeans 
will,  it  is  hoped,  at  no  very  distant  period,  have 
considerably  lessened,  if  not  totally  abolished,  this 
barbarous  custom. 

Then  there  is  another  bore.  As  stall  and  pit  cu- 
sTiions  are  not  included  in  the  price  of  the  seat^  they 
are  never  to  be  found  there  on  the  arrival  of  the 
spectator ;  but  are  brought  round  in  piles  on  the 
heads  of  boys  who  follow  the  gentlemen  to  their 
respective  places  to  speculate  upon  the  luxury. 
This  business  goes  on  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  evening,  whereat  both  audience  and  performer 
are  very  much  distressed.  But  then,  each  cushion 
fetches  a  iniedia  /  and  the  proprietors,  on  letting  the 
theatre,  take  special  care  to  reserve  to   themselves 


A2INA    IN    MEXICO.  83 

this  speculation  which,  in  case  of  a  full  pit,  proves 
■'  not  a  bad  one. 

Then  again,  the  cushions  come  in  very  well 
by  way  of  a  medium  for  the  expression  of  forcible 
feelings,  to  which  the  Mexicans  are  very  much 
given.  At;  any  disaj)pointment  on  the  part  of 
the  performance,  they  instantly  seize  upon  their 
cushions  and,  with  singular  dexterity,  shy  them  at 
the  offending  actor !  The  first  comedian,  for  in- 
stance— called  the  Galant — is  frequently  and  most 
ungallantly  knocked  off  his  legs  in  this  manner. 
The  lasso  would  not  be  a  bad  thing  to  bring  down 
the  animal  when  he  abuses  the  text  of  his  author. 
If  such  a  custom  were  only  sanctioned  here, 
in  a  few  of  ov/r  theatres,  it  would  certainly  be  a 
source  of  extreme  satisfaction — and  very  effec- 
tive. 

The  time  was  now  near  at  hand  for  the  appear- 
ance of  the  famed  cantatrice  upon  those  boards ; 
and  Bochsa,  still  the  faithful  cTmperbn  of  Anna, 
had  made  all  necessary  arrangements  for  her  debut, 
having  engaged  the  Teatro  Nacional  on  the  off 
Wednesdays  and  Saturdays  for  ten  nights,  com- 
mencing on  the  14th  of  July.     He  liad  picked  the 


84  AJSTNA    IN     MEXICO. 

best  orchestra  he  could  find,  led  by  Sefior  Chaves,'^ 
Bochsa  himself  taking  the  'baton.  There  was  some 
fuss  about  choruses,  as  Bochsa  discovered  that  no 
operas  or  even  scenes  costumees  liad  taken  place  in 
Mexico  for  nine  or  ten  years  at  least.  What  was  to 
be  done  ? — Bochsa  was  not — and  immediately  call- 
ed a  serious  meeting  of  all  the  singing  ladies  and 
gentlemen  he*  could  hear  of.  Some  of  the  elders  of 
these  chorus-men  profoundly  informed  Bochsa  that 
they  "  knew  JSTorma  and  Lucia  intimately."  Bochsa, 
judging  from  their  age,  thought  this  highly  proba- 
ble, but  endeavored  to  represent  to  them  that  they 
would  have  to  know  something  a  little  more  mo- 
dern on  the  present  occasion.  Yes,  but — they  re- 
plied to  Bochsa — all  modern  Italian  music  was 
pretty  nearly  the  same  thing ;  and,  as  they  knew 
NoTina  and  Lticia^  and  had  some    acquaintance 


*  Senor  Chaves — a  talented  professor,  who  had  been  one  of 
the  first  violins  at  His  Majesty's  Theatre  in  London  when 
Bochsa  was  musical  director  of  that  establishment.  Bochsa 
occupied  that  post,  at  the  Italian  Opera  House  of  London,  for 
many  years,  during  which  space  he  had  under  his  direction 
nearly  all  the  celebrated  singers  of  the  time,  including  Pasta, 
Malihran,  Sontng,  Grisi,  Ruhini,  Donzelli,  Galliy  ifc. — Ed 


ANNA     IN     HIEXICO.  85 

with  the  Somnamhula^  and  the  Barher  of  Seville — • 
they  of  course  could  be  ready  in  no  time  for  any- 
thing else  !  This  caused  Bochsa  to  stare  at  them  ; 
but  finding  them  serious,  he  rather  laughed,  and 
thought  it  certainly  not  a  bad  satire  on  the  flimsy 
and  pm-loined  modern  operas  which  now  and  then 
rise  up,  blast  themselves,  and  vanish  into  oblivion. 
As  for  the  chorus-ladies,  some  of  them  not  only 
had  been  deprived  of  the  pleasure  of  ISTorma's  ac- 
quaintance, but  had  n't  the  slightest  knowledge  of 
the  difference  between  a  crochet  and  a  quaver, 
though  they  could  hum  very  well  in  company  with 
the  gentlemen.  Yet,  as  on  the  whole,  they  were 
good-looking  and  dressed  very  nicely  at  their  own 
expense,  Bochsa  thought  it  as  well  not  to  be  too 
fastidious.    Bochsa  was  perfectly  right. 


CONGRESS.— THE  REHEARSAL.— THE 
CLAQUEUR. 

Meanwhile  the  excitement  in  la  ville  hdbillarde 
of  Mexico  was  at  the  highest  pitch.  The  most  ex- 
traordinary stories  were  afloat.  Congress,  it  was 
said,  gave  np,  in  perfect  despair,  the  idea  of  doing 
any  thing  for  a  month,  as  members  would  be  tor- 
mented by  their  wives,  who  would  come  to  the 
House  after  them  and  leave  orders  for  them  to 
send  home  dresses  of  the  most  magnificent  .de- 
scription for  the  cantatrice's  first  night !  Deputies, 
it  was  reported,  having  votes  to  give  for  the  new 
minister  invariably  wrote  on  their  bulletins,  "  An- 
na  Bislwp  P"* — while  others  growing  red  and  ener- 
getic on  the  corners  of  the  streets,  because  no 
seat  was  to  be  had,  were  taken,  in  the  heat  of 
their  frenzy,  for  conspirators  ! 


AUNA    m    MEXICO.  87 

Bochsa  had  prepared,  for  the  eventful  night,  the 
following  scenes,  all  of  which,  with  the  exception 
of  the  first,  were  sung  in  costume  : — 

Scena  and  cavatina  from  Robert  Devereux — 

Scene  from  Linda  di  Cliamoiini — 

Grand  scene  from  Norma  ("  Casta  Diva") — 
concluding  with  the  magnificent  Recitative  and  Ca- 
vatina,  "  Di  tanti  ^aljpiti^''  from  Tancredi — all  of 
which,  as  it   is  well   known,  are  Anna's   favorite 
triumphs. 

1^0  other  artists,  except  Yaltellina  with  two 
cavatinas  and  Bochsa  with  two  harp  solos,  were  to 
assist  the  delightful  cantatrice^  who  plainly  saw 
that  in  Mexico,  as  in  Germany,  Italy,  ?lussia 
and  ]^orth  America,  she  could  be  victorious 
only  by  the  force  and  ^prestige  of  her  own  immense 
talent. 

On  the  morning  of  the  rehearsal,  some  hours 
before  the  time  appointed  for  it,  the  avenues  to 
the  National  Theatre  were  so  densely  crowded,  and 
the  portico  conducting  to  the  front  entrance  pre- 
sented such  a  perfect  jam  that  Bochsa,  having 
given  orders  that  no  one  should  be  admitted,  in- 
quired of  his  casliier  what  the  matter  was  ;  and 
8 


88  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

was  informed  that  all  the  house  was  taken  for 
several  nights^  and  that  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
country  to  admit  at  rehearsals,  people  who  had 
purchased  tickets  for  the  night.  Bochsa  was 
astounded;  but,  with  the  usual  severity  of  the 
European  Director,  would  not  listen  to  any  absurd- 
ity of  the  sort,  and  ordered  that  the  doors  be  kept 
firmly  shut.  While  the  orchestra,  however,  were 
tuning  their  instruments  and  Bochsa  intensely  en- 
gaged in  drilling  the  choruses  on  the  stage,  the 
pit,  box  and  gallery  doors  were  thundered  open  at 
one  simultaneous  burst,  and  in  less  than  five  mi- 
nutes the  entire  theatre  was  crammed,  and  shook 
with  the  shouts  of  '''"viva!  viva  Anna!'''^  and  vitu- 
perations against  Bochsa  for  keeping  the  doors 
shut.  He  at  length  perceived,  in  his  despaii',  that 
indignation  was  of  no  avail,  and  taking  his  seat  as 
director  in  the  orchestra,  received  his  full  share 
of  applause. 

Aima,  however,  soon  absorbed  all  eyes  and  ideas ; 
though  the  wind  instruments  frequently  disgusted 
Bochsa  by  seizing  the  opportunity  of  a  few  bars 
of  rest  to  plunge  enormous  cigars  into  their  mouths, 
causing   them   in   many   instances   to   miss    their 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  "  89 

rentrees !  while  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the 
choruses,  in  l^orma's  scene,  so  profusely  smoked 
the  unfortunate  High-Druidess  that  she  seemed 
totally  wi*apt  up  in  a  cloud  of  mystic  incense,  which 
might  have  been  very -effective  had  it  savored  less 
chokingly  of  the  weed.  The  machinists  and  lamp- 
lighters were  likewise  at  it  with  equal  vigor ;  and 
as  for  the  kettle-drums — Oh,  dios  !  Bochsa  disa- 
bused himself  at  once  of  the  mad  hope  of  ever  see- 
ing his  face  again. 

Aside  from  these  nuisances,  the  orchestra  was 
excellent,  and  universally  exhibited  the  greatest 
deference  towards  the  portly  and  imposing  director. 
Anna,  meanwhile,  was  encored  furiously  in  all  her 
warblings,  and  the  rehearsal  once  over,  processions 
of  gentlemen  made  in  a  straight  line  for  the  stage, 
each  offering  to  her  a  gold  'media ,*  while  others 
presented  her  with  gold  by  the  ounce.  One  old 
gentleman,  somewhat  poorly  clad,  humbly  ap- 
proached the  divine  songstress,  and,  with  tears 
falling  upon  his  aged  cheeks,  tendered  his  mite  in 


*  This  movement  is  an  old  custom.     The  media  was  worth 
one  dollar. — Ed. 


90  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

a  silver  media.  This  touclied  Anna  more  deeply 
than  all  the  gold  she  had  received  from  abler 
hands ;  but  when  she  turned  to  look  upon  the 
aged  man  again — he  was  gone,  leaving  her  his 
blessing. 

A  large  number  of  precious  gold  coins  were  like- 
wise presented  to  Bochsa ;  and,  on  the  whole,  he 
concluded,  after  some  reflection,  that  it  was  just  as 
well  not  to  be  over  particular  about  having  the 
doors  closed  at  rehearsal. 

On  leaving  the  theatre,  Anna  found  the  jportico^ 
as  far  as  the  street,  lined  with  ladies  and  caballeros,, 
cheering  her  with  vociferous  plaudits  and  the 
waving  of  handkerchiefs  and  hats  ;  -while  Napoleon, 
who,  like  his  prototype,  was  accustomed  to  carry 
everything  before  him,  sat  perched  upon  the  box 
of  his  coupe  wedged  to  immoveability  by  the  crowd, 
and  flourishing  his  whip  with  a  vague  and  frenzied 
air,  until  finally  permitted  to  drive  on  slowly^  for 
the  first  time  in  his  life,  towards  the  Hotel,  followed 
by  the  half-crazed  multitude.  Never  was  a  man 
more  in  his  element. 

Anna  and  Bochsa  were  delighted,  of  course,  at 
this  result  of  a  mere  rehearsal,  and  noted  it  down 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  91 

as  a  fair  omen  for  the  niglit.  It  reminded  her 
forcibly  of  her  victories  in  Stockholm,  where  the 
Koyal  Prince,*  and  ambassadors  and  ladies  of 
honor  of  the  good  Queen  followed  in  close  escort 
upon  her  carriage.  And  while  it  called  to  her, 
moreover,  her  zenith  days  at  Ui^sala  (Sweden,) 
where  a  vocal  clan  of  one  thousand  students  pour- 
ed out  their  rich  voices  at  night  beneath  her 
windows — and,  at  Copenhagen,  where  the  Prin- 
cess Caroline  had  so  often  sent  her  equipage  to 
bear  the  cantatrice  to  the  scene  of  her  glories — • 
and,  at  Odessa,  where  the  delightful  Countess 
"Woronzoff  loaded  her  with  the  most  costly  gifts 
(among  which  was  a  certain  shawl,  much  appre- 
ciated by  Bochsa,  being  worth  about  3000  dollars) 
— when  Anna,  I  say,  recollected  these  "times" 
she  had  had,  in  connection  with  what  was 
now  passing  around  her,  it  were  not  surj^rising 
had  she,  for  the  moment,  forgotten  even  that 
Bochsa  was  at  her  side.  But  she  did  not^ — al- 
though Bochsa  never  returned  a  syllable  in  reply 
to  her   expressions    of   perfect   satisfaction.     Yet, 


*  Now  King  of  Sweden. — Ed. 

8* 


92  ANNA,     m     MEXICO. 

the  world  knows,  as  well  as  I,  liis  entire  and  most 
deep  devotion,  body  and  soul — which  is  say- 
ing a  great  deal — to  his  favorite  pupil ;  and 
even  "  g  quiSn  sdbe  ? "  was  totally  beyond  his  utter- 
ance. 

On  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  while  Anna  and 
Bochsa  were  at  dinner,  the  servant  entered  with 
an  announcement  that  a  gentleman,  waiting 
without,  desired  to  speak  with  Madame  Bishop, 
or  with  Mr.  Bochsa.  Bochsa  responded  that  the 
gentleman  might  be  shown  into  one  of  the  draw- 
ing-rooms adjoining,  begging  that  he  would-  have 
the  goodness  to  wait  a  few  moments,  until  they 
had  finished  dining.  The  servant  obeyed,  and, 
a  few  seconds  after,  Bochsa  was  not  a  little  aston- 
ished at  hearing  the  gentleman,  in  the  drawing- 
room,  humming  "  amis^  la  matinee  est  helle " — 
"  allons^  enfans  de  la  jpatrie  P^ — "  Ah,  qu'il  est 
beau,  le  postilion  de  Long  Jumeau !  " — and  divers 
other  spirited  snatches  of  song  in  the  most  off- 
hand and  hra/voura  style  !  What  the  gentleman 
could  mean,  what  his  object  was,  or  who  he  could 
be,  were  so  many  Chinese  puzzles  to  Bochsa. 
He   accordingly  arose  and  looked  into   the   draw- 


'k 


AJSTNA    m     MEXICO.  93 

ing-room.      Whereupon,    the    following    dialogue 
took  place.* 

Gent.  {Low  how)  Yotre  humble  serviteur, 
Monsieur  le  Chevalier ! — {Sings — "  Robert,  toi  que 
j'aime !") 


*  This  dialogue  I  have  given  in  the  language  in  which  it 
was  spoken,  and  word  for  word  as  noted  down  by  Bochsa, 
being  one  of  those  untranslatable  gems  of  smart  French  idio- 
matic crispness  which  lose  all  their  sparkle  the  moment  they 
are  deprived  of  their  native  setting.  The  substance,  however, 
may  be  given  in  brief;  though,  for  those  who  can  seize  upon 
the  esprit  of  the  original,  it  must  afford  but  a  poor  shadow  of 
its  genuine  humor.  The  singing  gentleman,  it  appears,  in- 
formed Bochsa,  in  the  first  place,  that  he  was  from  Paris,  and, 
in  the  next,  that  he  dealt  extensively  in  fans.  Thirdly,  that 
fans,  however,  had  not  always  been  his  profession,  though  he 
had  even  indulged  in  them  since  the  Revolution  of  '48  had  sent 
him  adrift  to  breathe  the  pure  air  of  Liberty  in  Mexico;  but 
that  he  was  likewise  an  ex-claqueicr  from  the  theatres  of  Paris; 
that  Victor  Hugo,  Meyerbeer  and  Halevy  owed  to  him  their 
success— especially  Meyerbeer,  who  never  looked  at  the  ex- 
pense of  his  luxuries  in  the  applause  line.  Finally,  that  Scribe 
was  immensely  influenced  by  him,  as  he  (the  gentleman)  was 
always  ready  to  recommend  to  his  friends  handkerchiefs  and 
sobs,  and  had  on  hand  a  female  who  would  faint  any  desired 
number  of  times,  at  100  francs  per  spasm  ! — and  now  offered 
his  services  to  Madame  Anna  Bishop. — Ed. 


94  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

BocHSA.  ( Wondering^  hut  very  jpolite^  Tout  a 
voiis,  Monsieur.     Que  desirez-vous  ? 

Gent.  {Off-hand^  Je  suis  FTrro/)i(^'&Ss, — et  je 
fais  les  evantails — 

BocHSA.  (  With  great  courtesy)  Charme  de  faire 
voire  connaissance.     Mais — • 

Gent.  {Importantly)  Mons.  le  Chevalier,  j'ai 
quitte  Paris — ou,  pour  mieux  dire,  Paris  m'a  quitte 
— {Sings — "  Allons  enfans  de  la  patrie !") — c'est  a 
dire,  '48  m'a  coule !  Alors  je  viens  ici  pour  prendre 
I'air  pure  de  la  liberie — et  -mes  evantails — 

BocHSA.  ( Wondering  if  the  gentleman  is  set'ious) 
Monsieur,  pardonnez-moi,  mais  je  suis  presse,  et  je 
ne  vois  pas  quel  rapport — 

Gent.  {Singing — "  En  avant  marclions !")  Mons. 
le  Chevalier,  je  n'ai  pas  toujours  donne  dans  les 
evantails.  ISTon !  Dieu  le  salt — {Sings — "  Mourir 
pour  la  patrie !") — j'etais  claqueur  des  theatres  de 
Paris !  Victor  Hugo — ^homme  de  talent — Meyer- 
hcer — un  tresor  pour  nous  autres,  il  ne  regarde  pas 
a,  la  depense ! — Halevy — pas  mal ! — sont  de  mea 
amis.  Bs  me  doivent  leurs  succes,  Mons.  le  Cheva- 
lier. Et  quant  a  la  repetition  je  disais  a  Scribe 
— "  Mon  petit  Eugene,  change  moi  ga,  j'aipeur  que 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  96 

je  ne  poiirrais  pas  leur  faire  avaler  cette  derniere 
scene,  elle  est  trop  sentimentale,  pleuruisseuse  ^ 
j'ai  bien  recommande  a  mes  gens,  les  mouclioirs^  les 
sanglots^  meme  je  puis  comj)ter  sur  deux  evanouis- 
semens  (la  femnie  de  mon  sous-lieutenant,  Le  C, 
etant  fameuse  pour  tomber  en  syncope  a  100  francs 
par  syncope) — mais,  mon  petit  Eugene,  outre  la  de- 
pense,  cela  n'ira  pas,  crois  moi !"  Quant  a  Auber — • 
{Singing — "  Signora,  signora,  a  la  migraine  !") — 

BocHSA.     But,  sir — 

Gent.  {Interruj)ting)  Pardon,  Mons.  le  Cheva- 
lier, les  souvenirs,  vous  savez !  Pardon,  mille  fois 
^ — j'ai  appris  que  la  celebre  Mad.  Anna  Bisliop  va 
commencer  le  trantnran  apres  demain,  et  je  viens 
vous  oiFrir  mes  services  et  ceux  d'une  cinquantaine 
de  mes  amis,  que  j'ai  style.  J'ai  surtout  invente 
un  nouveau  coup  de  terns  avec  la  canne — -pan  ! 
pan  !  pan  !  pan  ! — hrava  ! — pan  !  pan  !  pan  ! 
pan  ! — l)ravissima  !  his  !  his  !  encore  ! — il  n'y  a 
pas  moyen  de  resister,  et  nos  bons  Mexicains  n'y 
verront  que  du  feu — 75  billets  de^*^,  et  une  vignt- 
aine  de  gallerie  feront  mon  affaire — pan  !  pan ! 
2)an  !  pan  ! — {Singing — "  Amis,  la  matinee  est 
belle !")— 


96  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

Bocliga  could  stand  tliis  no  longer  !  He  regretted 
exceedingly  that  be  could  not  profit  by  tbe  oifer,  in- 
asmucb  as  tbe  ninety-five  tickets  demanded  for  the 
gentleman's  services  had  all  been  included  in  the 
ticket-sale  for  some  nights  to  come  ;  and  that  be 
bad  ever  advised  Mad.  Anna  to  trust  to  her  own 
talents  for  the  eliciting  of  all  requisite  applause. 
'^f  course  tbe  gentleman  burst  out  into  the  Mar- 
seilles ITymn,  in  his  utter  amazement  at  such  an 
absurdity;  assuring  Bochsa  that  Grisi,  Duprez, 
Jenny  Lind — above  all^  Jenny  Lind ! — ah  ! — she 
knew  the  stupendous  value  of  such  assistance !  Ha  ! 
Ha !  Bochsa  was  about  to  retire  in  contempt,  when, 
at  that  moment,  Anna  entered. 

"  Ah !"  shouted  tbe  gentlemnn.  "  Brava !  Pan  ! 
pan  !  pan !  bravissima !  Pan !  pan  !  pan  ! — en- 
core — "  and  sung,  "  Casta  Diva  P'' 

Anna,  in  her  bewilderment,  conceived  the  gen- 
tleman to  be  either  very  mad,  or  slightly  inebriated  ! 
Whereupon  Bochsa  attempted  to  explain  by  saying 
that  the  gentleman  was  a  manufacturer  of  fans  and 
reputations.  At  which  the  gentleman,  conceiving 
Bochsa  to  be  a  joker,  sang,  "  Le  joli  droit  du  sei- 
gneur !" — and  added  that  it  was  all  right — he  was 


AJSnSTA     EST     MEXICO.  97 

at  their  command — the  Mexicans  only  wanted  a 
little  warming  up — with  a — pan  !  pan !  pan ! — bra- 
va ! — bra-a-vis-s-si-m-a-a  ! — that  he  would,  therefore, 
be  at  the  rehearsal  on  the  morrow,  just  to  seize 
upon  the  efiective  points. — 

"  But" — persisted  Bochsa — advancing — 
Poh — poh  !  The  gentleman  could  n't  think  of 
Bochsa's  troubling  himself  to  show  him  out.  It  was 
all  right !  Rachel  owed  to  him  all  her  success  ! — • 
it  was  a  difficult  matter,  to  be  sure,  to  blow  it  up 
for  her  and  carry  it  out  effectually ;  but  slie  ! — 
Mad.  Anna  Bishop ! — Bah ! — he  would  guarantee 
(he  knew  by  the  looks  of  her)  to  carry  the  whole 
city  of  Mexico  in  her  favor,  at  the  point  of  his  cane, 
in  two  nights  ! — whereat,  the  gentleman,  with  ano- 
ther energetic  j)an !  pan  !  pan  !  made  a  flourishing 
exit,  singing — "  J'ai  long  temsparcouru  le  monde !" 
Anna  now  laughed !  for  she  could  not  believe  that 
the  gentleman  would  keep  his  word.  The  following 
day,  however,  at  the  second  rehearsal — which  was 
accompanied  by  the  same  crowd,  enthusiasm  and 
smoke — what  was  Bochsa's  horror,  at  the  termina- 
tion of  "  Casta  Diva,"  at  beholding  on  the  stage  the 
invulnerable  claqueur^  white  kids  and  cane,  sail- 

5 


98  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

ing  up  to  the  prompter's  box  and  assm-ing  him — 
"  Ah !  really,  we  sang  that  morceau  admirably !" 
— and,  further,  that  he  had  six  "  gaillards  solides''' 
with  him  who  were  positively  ravished ! — and  that 
he  would  accept  his  tickets  immediately ! 

"  But" — said  Bochsa  in  a  rage — 

"  Precisely  !  All  right !"  interposed  the  gentle- 
man— he  should  be  there  that  evening  without  fail ! 
• — ^he  would  tender  a  "  doigt  de  cour  a  Madame !" 
— ^veritably,  he  thought,  there  were  in  her  acting 
"  des  momens  a  la  Rachel !" — and  therewith,  dis- 
appeared. 

Towards  afternoon,  Bochsa  was  sufficiently  cool- 
ed off  to  a]3preciate  a  compliment  from  His  Excel- 
lency, the  President  of  the  Mexican  Pepublic,  who 
sent  word  that  he,  with  his  family  and  ministers, 
would  be  present  at  Anna's  first  performance.  His 
Excellency  has  a  large  box,  facing  the  stage  in  the 
centre  of  the  first  tier,  which  he  is  never  required 
to  pay  for ;  while  it  is  customary  for  the  artist 
whom  he  honors  with  his  presence  to  expend  about 
four  dollars  upon  it,  for  lights  and  ornaments.  The 
gentleman,  whom  Bochsa  facetiously  termed,  Mons. 
le  Comte  de  la  Claque,  failed  not  likewise  to  pay 


AJSTNA    m    MEXICO.  99 

them  anotlier  visit ;  and  Bochsa,  to  get  rid  of  him, 
gave  him  a  few  written  orders,  on  condition  that 
he  would  leave  his  cane  at  home ! — though  he  knew 
perfectly  well  that  neither  he,  nor  any  of  his 
troujpe^  could  wedge  themselves  into  any  part  of 
the  house. 


ANNA'S  DEBUT    AT   THE  TEATRO 
KACIONAL. 

*  "  That  Saturday,  the  litli  of  July,  on  tlie 
evening  of  which  Anna  was  to  make  her  first 
appearance,  the  aspect  of  things  in  the  city  of 
Mexico  was  a  singular  novelty  for  the  inhabitants. 
The  Paseo  was  empty,  all  the  carriages,  which 
usually  throng  that  delicious  drive  in  the  after- 
noon, being  drawn  by  the  great  magnet  of  the 
occasion  towards  the  theatre,  some  hours  previous 
to  the  "  Dramatic  Concert"  which  had  been  an- 
nounced. The  Cafe  and  portico  of- the  theatre  were 
intensely  crowded,  as  the  box-office  was  closed,  all 
the  seats  in  the  house  being  sold.  Speculators,  who 
had  bought  up  a  number  of  stalls  and  boxes,  were 


*  Transcribed  from  the  letter  of  a  correspondent  who  wit- 
nessed the  scene.    It  must  have  been  somewhat  exciting. — Ed. 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  101 

disposing  of  them  in  the  street  at  fifteen  and  twen- 
ty dollars  each.  No  idea  can  be  given  of  the  con- 
fusion and  general  uproar  !  A  double  guard  was  in 
attendance ;  and  the  "  judge"  *  of  the  theatre,  with 
his  attache^^  was  at  his  post  at  the  earliest  hour. 
The  rush,  at  the  opening  of  the  doors,  was  terrific, 
many  ladies  leaving  behind  fragments  of  mantillas, 
and  gentlemen  fugitive  portions  of  their  coat-tails." 


*  All  the  theatres  in  Mexico  have  their  judges — a  sort  of 
Prefet  de  Police — who  sit  every  night  in  the  City-government 
box  (not  that  of  the  President),  and  under  whose  control  are 
not  only  the  performances,  but  the  performers  and  the  public. 
At  the  "National"'  there  is,  each  night,  a  change  of  juez,  some 
of  whom  make  themselves  very  disagreeable,  by  assuming  the 
dignity  of  inquisitors  and  despots.  No  bills  can  be  distributed 
in  the  theatre  without  their  special  sanction.  And  when  a 
singer  or  an  actor  complains  of  sore  throat,  or  other  illness,  and 
cannot  perform,  it  is  el  Seiwr  Juez  who  sends  the  physician  to 
the  artist,  to  ascertain  if  tlie  indisposition  be  real  or  fictitious. 
Frequently  the  agents  of  this  new  inquisition  really  put  the 
poor  artists  to  tortures ;  thrusting  table-spoons  down  their 
throats,  jamming  the  chest,  and  proceeding  to  various  other  so- 
licitous extremes,  to  find  out  where  they  suffer  most.  Then,  at 
the  theatre,  if,  on  a  crowded  night,  chairs  be  put  into  corners  to 
accommodate  the  surplus  spectators, without  permission  from  the 
Juez — presto ! — a  fine  of  fifty  dollars  is  imposed  upon  the  artist 
whose  unlucky  talents  h&ve  drawn  too  large  an  audience ! — Ed. 


102  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

To  give  a  further  idea  of  tlie  alarming  sensation 
produced  in  Mexico  by  the  debut  of  Anna  Bishop, 
the  last  joiu'nals  from  that  city  proceed  to  most 
amusing  extremes.  In  joint  astonishment  with 
the  "/6'^We,"  '"''Monitor^''  "  Universal^''  '''' Rejmb- 
lica^''  and  "  La  Mode " — the  "  Trait  d'  Union  " 
enters  into  the  subject  with  the  following  gusto  : 

"  Success,  complete ! — receipts,  two  thousand  dol- 
lars !  Such  is  the  summing  up  of  the  accounts  ren- 
dered as  the  result  of  last  Saturday's  soiree  at  the 
ISTational  Theatre.  The  house  could  have  held  no 
more.  Stalls  had  been  sold  at  ten  dollars,  and 
several  boxes  at  four  ounces  (of  gold)  each.  The 
public  had  re-decked  themselves  afresh  for  the 
occasion,  and  appeared  in  toilettes  worthy  of  feting 
the, celebrated  cantatrice.  This  augured  well;  for 
we  have  frequently  observed  that  the  dress  of  an 
audience  has  its  degrees  of  carelessness  or  bril- 
liancy according  to  the  merits  of  the  artist  ;  as 
few  care  to  yawn  away  the  evening  in  the  stiff 
elegance  of  a  toilette  recherche.  Look  at  the  unfor- 
tunate yearly  subscribers,  for  instance,  doomed 
five  times  a  week  to  the  soporific  regimen  of  the 
Spanish  company !    "What  is  the  theatre  to  them, 


ANNA     m     MEXICO.  103 

more  tlian  a  kind  of  half-way-house  hetween  a 
day's  work  and  a  night's  sleep  ?  Habit  drags  them 
in,  to  smoke  the  cigar  of  meditation  over  the  pros- 
pect of  their  approaching  slumbers ;  and  they 
peem  only  to  regret  that  night-caps  are  inadmissi- 
ble. On  Saturday  evening,  then,  it  was  impossible 
to  contemplate  their  array  of  costumes,  the  tho- 
roughly wide-awake  expression  of  their  counte- 
nances and  the  pleasurable  eagerness  of  their  looks 
altogether  and  not  believe  that  the  scene  had 
been  changed  by  enchantment — to  say  nothing 
of  self-exjjunged  cigars  in  the  corners  of  their 
set  mouths,  which  was  miraculous  !  All  the  beau- 
ty, wealth,  and  spirit  of  connoisseurs  that  Mexico 
could  boast,  seemed  to  have  made  a  general  ren- 
dez-vous  of  the  theatre ;  and  never,  within  its 
walls,  had  there  been  a  re-union  so  numerous, 
rich  and  well-chosen ;  and  the  amateur  of  the 
jparterre,  between  the  ravishing  sounds  he  heard 
upon  the  stage,  and  the  scene  he  beheld  in  the 
intervals  around  him,  seemed  lost  in  an  ecstasy 
of  oblivion  which  we  could  easily  comprehend. 

"  Our  opinion   of  Mad.  Anna   Bishop  is  unva- 
ried.    "W"e   can   but   say,  as  we   did   on   hearing 


104  AJSTNA     m    IIEXICO. 

her  at  Kew-York,  that  we  think  it  impossible  to 
give  to  the  art  of  vQcalization  a  more  perfect 
method  and  a  style  more  finished  than  that  pos- 
sessed by  Mad.  Bishop.  A  consummate  actress, 
her  dramatic  talent  is  no  less  exquisite  than  her 
singing  ;  while  she  is  gifted,  d  onerveille,  with 
the  most  delicate  and  choice  taste  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  her  costmnes.  All  which,  combined  with 
great  grace  and  elegance  of  person,  may  readily 
account  for  the  marked  favors  which  the  public 
have  showered  upon  her. 

"  The  superiority  of  Mad.  Bishop  is  more  clearly 
exhibited  in  the  allegro  than  in  the  andante;  her 
trills  and  cromatiques  are  incredibly  perfect ;  while 
the  crescendoes  and  diminuendoes  of  her  final 
notes  are  executed  with  such  efiect  as  scarcely  to 
allow  the  hearer  to  breathe  until  they  have  died 
away,  when  the  consequence  niust  invariably  be 
a  bm'st  of  the  warmest  applause  and  admira- 
tion." 

The  Trait  d'  Union^  in  speaking  of  Bochsa, 
says  :  "  He  is,  incontestibly,  the  greatest  harpist 
ever  listened  to.  The  difiiculties  necessary  to  sur- 
mount  in  order  to  become  a  proficient  upon  this 


AJSTNA     IN     MEXICO.  105 

instriiraent,  are,  unfortunately,  but  little  known  to 
the  public,  who  would  form  a  just  estimate  of 
his  truly  wonderful  powers.  The  gratification  ex- 
perienced by  the  auditors  at  the  unexpected  in- 
troduction of  po23ular  Mexican  airs,  in  one  of  his 
impromptus  fmitaisies^  was  unbounded,  and  the 
choice  of  his  pieces  should  certainly  be  left  to 
himself  hereafter.  More  of  his  gems  are  prom- 
ised us  on  Wednesday  evening." 

Sig.  Valtellina  is  hereupon  much  complimented,  as 
a  singer  ;  and  the  review  winds  up  with  a  predic- 
tion of  Anna's  continued  triumphs,  which,  accord- 
ing to  the  echoes  of  the  other  journals,  quite 
equalled,  if  not  surpassed,  the  first. 

From  "  El  Monitok  :  " — "  Yesterday  evening, 
the  desires  which  our  public  had  so  long  mani- 
fested, to  hear  this  celebrated  cantatrice^  were  at 
last  realized.  For  the  moment,  we  have  only 
time  to  say  that  the  brilliant  and  most  numerous 
audience  were  enchanted,  ravished,  at  the  artistic 
talents  of  Anna  Bishop,  which  surpass  all  that 
can  be  conceived.  The  enthusiasm  caused  by  the 
melody  and  expression  of  her  exquisite  voice  was 
very  great.     We   shall,  without   delay,   publish  a 


106  AJSTNA     IN     MEXICO. 

detail  of  this  beautiful  performance,  which  truly 
formed  an.  ejpoque^  ever  to  be  cherished  in  the 
memory  of  the  Mexicans." 

The  "Siglo  XIX"— after  lauding  the  good 
taste  of  Mexicans,  and  remarking  upon  the  solid 
appearance  of  the  house,  and  the  singular  compo- 
sure of  the  audience  until  the  rise  of  the  curtain, 
as  though  the  occasion  had  robbed  them  of  the 
power  of  speech — proceeds  to  say  : — 

"  The  toilettes  of  the  Senoritas  were  simple  and 
elegant.  White  robes,  with  a  bouquet  upon 
the  bosom,  hair  plain,  but  arranged  with  an  in- 
nocent and  seductive  coquetry,  ornamented  by 
a  single  flower,  or  a  band  of  pearls,  were  those 
most  generally  worn ;  while  other  damsels,  decked 
in  their  own  beauty  alone,  had  only  to  move  their 
dark  eyes,  and  smile  as  they  dreamily  turned  aside 
their  heads,  to  arouse  the  coldest  spectator  to  the 
loftiest  23itch  of  excitement. 

"Finally,  Anna  Bishop  appeared;  and  her  ele- 
gance of  tournure^  grace  of  bearing,  finished  taste 
and  richness  of  costume,  instantly  captivated  the 
admiration  of  the  public,  who  saluted  her  with  a 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  107 

thunder  of  applause  tlian  which  we  want  no  better 
proof  of  our  national  gallantry  ;  and  the  immense 
talent  of  the  cantatrice  was,  throughout,  greeted 
and  acknowledged  by  frequent  interruptions  of  the 
most  vociferous  lyravasP 

The  "  Siglo  XIX  "  here  enters  into  a  rapturous  re- 
view of  Anna's  "  Casta  Diva^''  and  of  her  beautiful 
court-dress  in  '-'•Linda^'' — and  thus  concludes,  with 
reference  to  her  "  Tancredi :  " — 

"  Old  and  young  know  this  theme  by  heart ;  but 
Anna  Bishop,  by  that  magic  which  alone  belongs  to 
thegreatest  artists,  has  given  to  it  a  prestige  truly 
surprising.  What  sweetness  ! — what  tenderness  I — • 
what  expression ! — what  melodious  echoes ! — what 
charms  pervading  all  its  harmonies,  penetrating  into 
the  depths  of  our  hearts  !  That  one  scene  is  worth 
the  whole  concert  together,  and  will  secure  to  the 
interesting  and  dark-eyed  Anna  a  marked  -tii- 
umph  in  every  part  of  the  globe — it  is  her  crown- 
ing laurel!"  *  *       .  *  * 

"  As  regards  the  famous  Ilarpist,  Bochsa,  no  eulo- 
gium  of  his  performances  has  been  exaggerated. 
Clear  as  the  tones  of  a  nightingale  in  his  touch,  he 
completely  overrules  every  difficulty  of  this  undo- 


108  ANNA     m     MEXICO. 

cile  instrument,  and,  by  the  power  of  his  genius, 
draws  from  it  such  torrents  of  harmony  as  over- 
whelm the  audience  with  delight  and  wonder." 

Touching  the  second  lujvic  representation  of  Anna, 
"  ^l  Universal^^''  in  an  article  of  extraordinary 
length  and  interest,  remarks  upon  the  notable  mi- 
racle of  the  house  being  again  crowded ! — a  thing 
never  heard  of  on  the  occasion  of  any  previous  re- 
petition of  the  same  attraction. 

The  "  Trait  cV  JJnion!^''  likewise,  keeps  ujd  the 
fiery  volleys  of  delight,  with  its  own  peculiar  and 
able  force,  and  is  as  much  in  raptures  as  ever. 


Of  the  ^/m'cZ  night,  '■'■LaModa^''  goQ&  into  ecstasies 
over  the  dazzling  elite  of  Mexico  of  which  the  co- 
lossal audience  was  composed,  and  the  continuous 
encores  Avhich  scarcely  permitted  the  helle  cantar 
trice  to  be  off  the  stage  for  a  single  moment. 

"  El  Monitor'^''  remarks  upon  the  grandeur  of  her 
"  Masnadieri  "  de  Verdi,  and  the  sublime  andante 
which  followed  it,  and  to  which  Anna  had  done  so 
much  more  than  ample  justice.  Her  scenas  from 
^'' Lucia,''''  '•''Lucrezia  Borgia^''  and  her  famous 
^'- Tamcredi,^''  were  beyond  all  criticism.    Bochsa's 


ANNA    IN    JIEXICO.  109 

harj)-solo  is  dwelt  upon,  as  a  composition  of  the 
most  exquisite  brilliancy  and  a  performance  of  in- 
credible jDower  and  beauty. 


Of  the  fourth  night,  the  "  Siglo  XIX  "  begins 
to  observe  the  increasing  demonstrations  of  un- 
bounded pleasure  on  the  part  of  the  dense  jams  with 
which  Anna  and  Bochsa  continued  to  be  greeted, 
seeming  not  to  foresee  where,  or  how,  it  will 
end !  It  showers  upon  the  cantatrice  its  entire 
vocabulary  of  eulogium,  and  confesses  itself  elec- 
trified, not  only  by  her  enchantment  of  song,  but 
by  her  versatility  and  the  immensity  of  labor 
which  she  crowds  into  a  few  hours  without  any 
apparent   exertion. 


Of  the  fifth  night,  "  El  Universal.,^''  in  another 
of  its  extended  review^s  of  the  never-tiring  sub- 
ject, cites  Anna's  sce^ia  from  "  Desdemona  "  as  a 
lavish  of  all  her  treasures  of  tenderest  song  in 
one  continuous  outpouring  fi-om  beginning  to 
end.  "  Divine" — "  celestial" — "  harmonies  which, 
like  those  of  Orpheus,  could  move  the  stones  and 
fiercest  brutes  and  hardiest  forest-trees  to  ecstasy" 


110  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

— are  among  the  weak  expressions  of  its  delirious 
praises. 


Thus  crazily  and  suddenly  thrown  from  their 
accustomed  apathy  to  the  highest  climax  of  won- 
der and  vociferous  adoration  were  the  public  and 
press  universal  of  Mexico  at  the  appearance  of 
Anna  and  Bochsa,  until  it  was  thought  "  chaos 
had  come  again."  The  other  journals  of  that  day, 
in  common  with  those  above  quoted  .  from,  con- 
tinued to  be  so  voluminous  in  their  all-absorbing 
exaltations  of  the  artists,  that  to  do  any  one  of 
them  justice,  in  citation  of  their  details,  would 
require  certainly  a  separate  volume.  It  was  an 
era  in  the  history  of  the  people  which  will  never 
be  forgotten ;  and  let  no  one  in  after  years  look 
to  the  records  of  that  period  in  the  mad  hope 
of  finding  any  other  subject,  political,  social  or 
otherwise,  treated  upon,  except  Bishop  and  Boch- 
sa, and  Bochsa  and  Bishop ;  for  all  else  seems  to 
be  penned  from  minds  confused,  bewildered,  un- 
certain, through  the  apparent  laboring  of  some 
spell  and  universal  mania.  One  feature,  too,  of 
this  mania  is  remarkable.     From    the  first  night, 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  Ill 

SO  far  from  flagging  in  its  power  upon  the  pub- 
lic and  the  press,  though  it  had  already  secured 
an  apparently  insurmountable  hold  upon  them — 
it  grew  on  still,  night  after  night,  until,  at  the 
close  of  the  tenth,  the  curtain  fell  amidst  the 
cheers  and  outbursts  and  applauding  thunders  of 
an  audience  to  which  no  other,  ever  congregated 
in  Mexico,  has  been  known  to  a23proach. 

The  journals  were,  in  many  instances,  but  si- 
multaneous echoes  of  each  other  in  their  inade- 
quate praises  ;  though  the  minutiae  of  criticism  af- 
forded innummerable  ramifications,  dissertations 
and  labored  opinions  upon  the  lyric  art,  which 
had  been  called  into  life  by  the  magic  notes  of 
the  singer,  and  for  which  the  connoisseur,  on 
reading  them,  will  ever  be  grateful.  Occasions, 
too,  were  taken  to  descant  upon  the  society  of  Mexi- 
co, its  beauty,  wealth,  taste  and  display  of  elegance 
in  toilette  as  exhibited  by  the  multitudes  that  eacfi 
night  had  thronged  and  beamed  within  the  walls  of 
the  Teatro  Nq^nal — features  brought  to  light 
which  had  been  never  known  to  exist,  and  charac- 
teristics observed  which    had  never    before  been 

dreamed  of — and  all  through  the  single  force  of  that 

10 


112  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

magnet  whicli  had  drawn  them  together  and  so  re- 
volutionized, for  a  time,  their  national  inertness. 
Anna  had  now  given  five  grand  Dramatic 
Concerts,  and  her  popularity  was  hourly  on  the*- 
increase — which  was  odd,  considering  the  ever- 
variable  character  of  the  Mexicans,  and  the  great 
dearth  of  strangers ;  and  Bochsa  finally  yielded  to 
the  universal  demand  that  she  should  appear  in 
an  entire  opera.  ISTorma  wa§^selected  for  this 
purpose,  being  the  easiest  to  produce.  Sig.  Yal- 
tellina  was  to  be  the  Oroveso^  la  Senorita  SucJio. 
Mosqueira  {sucJi  a  name  for  a  young  Mexican 
songstress  of  such  j)romise  !)  as  Adalgiza^  and 
Sig.  Zamni  as  the  fast  young  Roman  and  naughty 
deceiver,  Pollione.  That  singer,  it  seems,  was  a 
very  remarkable  genius  in  his  own  way,  and  in 
the  way  of  every  body  else.  He  had  dropped  the 
second-tenor  line  to  become  an  administrator  of 
the  Tiational  Theatre  and  sell  box  and  stall  tickets, 
somewhat  after  t\iQ^*huffo  style  of  Doctor  Dulca- 
mara with  his  famous  "  Elixir."  4|ile  was  always 
ready  to  undertake  any  part  in  any  opera  at  any 
given  notice — comico,  serio,  bufib,  tragico,  histo- 
rico,  or  pantomimico — written  for  Basso  profimdo. 


ANNA     m    MEXICO.  113 

Basso  bariton,  Tenor,  Tenor  Sfogato,  or  Falsetto — • 
especially  Falsetto.  He  never  broke  down — one 
recommendation  whicli  Salvi  should  take  a  liint 
from.  He  bad,  however,  one  failing — all  your 
great  men  have  one,  at  least — and  that  was,  an 
endeai-ing  weakness  for  roast  fowls  and  bottles 
of  claret  before  going  on,  and  without  which,  he 
could  never  think  of  singing  a  note  in  tune  or 
acting  up  to  any  ideas  but  those  the  remotest  from 
the  scene  that  happened  to  strike  him.  Eeally, 
apart  from  chickens  and  claret — what  a  card  he 
would  be  for  manager  Barrett.  He  had  a  system, 
though,  about  these  things.  When  the  part  he 
was  to  sing  was  of  a  tender  and  delicate  strain, 
the  part  of  the  chicken  which  he  ate  corresponded 
accordingly,  as  a  piece  of  the  bosom  and  heart. 
For  comic  parts,  he  would  select  the  merry 
thought.  For  bilious  and  splenetic  parts,  the  liver. 
For  flighty  parts,  the  wing — and  for  stem  parts, 
in  hasso  jprofundo^  whatever  portion  he  conceived 
to  be  the  most  rich  and  fat,  and  solidly  adapted 
to  the  purpose. 

-  This  caprice  of  Sig.   Zamni — much  more   sub- 
stantial than  many  in  which  the  Italian  singers 


114  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

frequently  indulge — may  not  be  wondered  at, 
when  it  is  so  well  laiown  that  a  certain  famous 
tragic  actress,  of  the  Kemble  school,  invariably 
carries  with  her  a  very  mysterious  richly  bound 
volume,  labelled  "  Shakspeare,"  which  revels  in 
the  inspiring  contents  of  a  fiat  eliptic  bottle  of 
very  fair  cognac^  and  which,  no  doubt,  occasion- 
ally so  "  carries  her  away"  in  her  fond  apprecia- 
tion of  that  master  spirit.  And  then,  if  poor 
Malibran  was  unable  to  raise  herself  to  an  encore 
without  a  similar  impulse  being  secretly  impart- 
ed to  her  behind  the  "wings,"  and  Pasta,  the 
greatest  Dramatic  cJianteuse  of  the  age,  totally 
unprepared  for  Desdemona  without  the  assistance 
of  a  good  stout  moorish-looking  body  of  London 
porter — why  then  the  versatile  Sig.  Zamni  sure- 
ly has  a  right  to  stick  to  his  fowl  stimuli  and 
sour  claret  until  doomsday;  and  it  is  hoped  no 
one  will  disturb  him,  if  he  does — for  he  might 
do  worse. 

But  Norma,  since  the  days  of  Pasta,  seems  to 
have  been  the  standard  test-piece  of  lyric  artists. 
With  respect  to  Anna's  conception  and  execu- 
tion of  this  part,  in  the  embarrassment  of  choice. 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  115 

from  the  abundant  and  extended  reviews  in  the 
i  Mexican  journals,  I  shall  simply  take  the  letter 
of  a  musical  friend,  resident  at  that  time  in 
Mexico,  and  on  whose  sound  and  impartial  judg- 
ment I  may  safely  rely.  Besides  embodying  the 
spirit  of  the  numerous  oritiq^ies  of  the  press,  its 
remarks  uj)on  the  relative  merits  of  her  Norma 
and  Lucia,  two  characters  so  distinctly  contrasted, 
will  be  of  much  general  interest. 

"  Anna's  performance  of  N^orma  is  one  of  the 
most  classically  chaste  and  perfect  I  ever  witness- 
ed. As  often  as  I  have  seen  Grisi,  and  well  studied 
her  in  that  masterly  opera,  though  she  is  extremely 
fine  in  some  parts,  she  has  always  appeared  too 
boisterous — the  same  fault  with  Pasta — too  much 
of  the  modern  jealous  woman  rating  soundly  her 
unfaithful  lover,  and  furious  against  her  rival.  She 
wants  loftiness,  pathos,  and  the  grander  struggles 
of  natural  dignity  successively  against  the  passions 
born  of  her  unhappy  love.  She  rather  conceives 
the  character  to  be  a  termagant  than  a  woman  of 
deepest  sensibility,  combatting,  in  her  despair,' 
against  the  agonies  of  her  falling   pride.     Jenny 

Lind  falls  into  the  other  extreme  ;  and  one  rather 
10* 


116  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

pities  her  Norma  than  syrrypathizes  with  it.  Nor- 
ma is  a  creation  which  admits  of  but  one  expres- 
sion— sublimity.  And  the  artiste  who  would  un- 
dertake it  successfully  must  be  one  of  passionate 
heart,  and  of  a  mind  capable  of  grasping  the  high- 
est order  of  dramatic  composition.  And  such  is 
Anna  Bishop — from  beginning  to  end,  she  feels  the 
part  acutely — she  is  Norma's  self.  Nothing  of  her 
\'alliant  and  proud  7<z^crec?^,  her  loving  and  unhap- 
py Amina,  her  simple  and  innocent  Zinda,  or  her 
terrible  and  desperate  Zuorezia,  lurks  in  the  majes- 
tic grandeur  of  her  Norma — Norma  the  submissive 
daughter,  the  towering  though  passion-crushed  and 
injured  woman,  the  tender  and  devoted  mother.  It 
is  indeed  unlike  that  of  any  other  artiste  known. 
Her  action  during  the  slow  movement  of  the  fa- 
mous trio,  '  Oh !  di  qual  sei  tu  vittima ! '  is 
highly  original  and  impressive. 

"  Instead  of  angrv  and  fierce  rebuke,  her  tone  of 
pitiful  scorn  and  subdued  tremulous  emotion,  is 
such  as  wrings  the  very  heart  to  tears  while  the 
blood  chills  with  horror  at  her  seducer.  Her 
'  d '  esser  madre  mi  poss'^  io  dementicar '  is  a  cli- 
max   of  shame,    tenderness,    and    stifled    agony, 


ANNA     IN     :MEXIC0.  117 

which  I  have  never  seen  paralleled.  When  slowly 
approaching  Pollione,  her  '  qual  cor  tracUsti '  inva- 
riably bring  from  her  tears  of  veritable  feeling ; 
and  her  discovering  to  her  father  the  nature  of  her 
crime,  while  she  turns  her  eyes  almost  forgivingly 
upon  her  lover,  seeming  to  say,  '  Behold,  how  I 
love  thee  still,  for  I  would  save  our  children  !'  is  in- 
describably touching  and  beautiful. 

*  *  *  -Sf-  *  * 

"  Senorita  Sucha  Mosqueira  is  very  fair  as  Adal- 
giza  /  and  I  learn  that  Anna  and  her  maestro  have 
taken  great  pains  with  her.  She  is  too  much  given 
to  white  and  rouge,  being  completely  marked  with 
it.  Would  she  but  set  aside  white,  rouge,  and 
smoke,^  she  would  in  time  become  a  most  attractive 
vocalist. 


"  With  respect  to  Anna's  Lucia^  it  is  a  perform 
ance,  in  its  way,  not  less  finished  than  her  l!^orma, 
and,  in  many  points,  brilliantly  effective.  Her  mad 
scene  took  the  public  here  by  storm.  It  is  one  of 
the  greatest  difficulty,  and  can  be  rendered  accept- 
able only  by  a  first-rate  actress.    Persian!,  for  whom 


118  ANNA     m     MEXICO. 

Donizetti  wrote  La  Luoia^  cut  this  scene  entirely 
outf  at  the  San  Cmio^  at  !N"aples,  after  the  second 
representation ;  *  and  it  was  not  restored  until  1844, 
when  Anna  Bishop  appeared  in  it  at  that  the- 
atre." 

On  the  day  of  Anna's  benefit — for  which  occa- 
sion Bochsa  had  composed  an  ojperata  Espagnole^ 
to  be  sung  by  her  in  CasUllano^  the  pui'est  Spanish 
dialect — she  received  sundry  little  presents,  among 
which  was  a  bouquet  of  rare  magnificence,  orna- 
mented with  gems  and  gold,  together  with  a  laced 
handkerchief  of  curiously  exquisite  workmanship, 
presented  to  her  by  the  famous  Mons.  Labat,  the 
French  Chesterfield,  whose  renown  for  taste,  ton, 
fashion  and  courtesies,  has  for  so  many  years  past 
registered  him  under  the  noble  soubriquet  of  Mar- 
quis. 

This  was  the  last  night  of  Anna's  apjDcarance  in 
Mexico ;  and  of  that  suffocating  "  bumper,"  the 
Mexican  journals  have  thus  made  record  : 


*  Some  have  attributed  this  pruning  to  the  great  success  of 
Rubini,  the  original  Edgardo,  in  the  last  grand  tenor  scene. — 
Ed. 


ANNA    m     MEXICO.  119 

"  The  public,"  says  El  Monitor^  "  most  anxi- 
ous to  tender  its  full  tribute  of  applause,  and  re- 
ceive the  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  cele- 
brated cantatrice,  assembled  in  such  masses  as  to 
overflow  the  theatre,  its  corridors  and  every  avail- 
able avenue  within  hearing  distance  of  her  voice, 
in  the  hope,  or  rather  the  certainty,  of  pass- 
ing a  delicious  evening  with  the  enchantress 
Anna. 

"The  spectacle  commenced  with  the  opera  of 
Norma^  that  sublime  inspiration  of  the  unfortu- 
nate Bellini  which  Mad.  Bishop  personates  with 
such  talent.  It  were  needless  here  to  dwell 
further  than  we  have  already  done,  upon  the  per- 
fections of  this  Prima  Donna  both  as  a  chanleuse 
and  actress — her  expression,  her  purity  of  style, 
her  correctness  of  method,  every  feature,  whereby 
she  so  captivates  and  enchains  the  admiration  of 
all  that  listen  to  her.  The  public  eulogiums  and 
proclamations  of  her  power  have  been  just,  as 
well  as  prodigal,  and  w^e  will  merely  say  that  she 
shone  radiant  as  ever,  and  the  outbm*sts  of  de- 
light, which  greeted  her,  were  unsurpassed  even  at 
lier  last  two  aoirees. 


120  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

"  The  Senorita  Mosqueira  has  made  most  rapid 
progress,  which  the  audience  failed  not  to  acknow- 
ledge warmly. 

"  In  addition  to  the  opera  of  Norma — one 
other  charm,  one  other  attraction  —  stimulated 
the  general  curiosity  and  absorbed  the  attention — 
the  impatience  of  the  audience  being  on  the  qui 
vwe  to  hear  and  judge  of  a  new  production,  one 
almost  invprovisee.  "We  would  speak  of  the  ope- 
retta huffo^  '  El  Ensayo^  composed  for  the  oc- 
casion, in  Castillano,  by  Bochsa,  so  well  known, 
not  only  as  the  Paganini  of  the  Harp,  but,  as  a 
composer  of  great  skill  and  fecundity.  In  three 
days  this  eminent  musician  completed  this  little 
farza^  which  was  received  with  acclamations  by 
the  enraptured  public,  and  in  which  la  hella  Anna 
developed  all  her  winning  graces  and  the  entire 
resources  of  her  great  talents.  Gur  limit  of  space 
will  not  permit  us  to  analyze,  as  carefully  as  we 
would,  this  inspiration  of  one  of  the  most  celebrat- 
ed composers  of  the  age.  It  is  rich  in  ideas, 
piquant  and  original,  and  the  instrumentation  is 
performed  with  that  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
orchestra,  possessed  by  Bochsa  to  so  high  a  degree 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  '  121 

of  mastery.  The  most  remarkable  morceaux  were 
— the  air  du  Tenor ^  a  delicious  duo  between  the 
Tenor  and  Anna,  another  with  the  hvffo  which 
provoked  the  greatest  laughter  on  the  part  of  the 
spectators,  and  the  Honda  Finale^  sung  by  Amia 
with  such  effect,  that  notwithstanding  the  fatigues 
of  Korma  which  had  preceded  it,  she  was 
obliged,  ^<??'ybrc6J,  to  repeat  it  entire,  and  to  return 
for  the  seventh  time  upon  the  stage  to  receive 
bouquets  and  hravas  from  the  public,  who  seemed 
but  little  short  of  insane. 

"With  what  fire  and  grace  and  gentillesse  she 
enacted  her  new  role  (which  somewhat  resembled 
that  of  Rosina) — what  clearness  and  purity  of  her 
Castillian  pronunciation — the  loud  approbation  of 
the  theatre  gave  ample  proofs  ;  while  this  newly- 
discovered  talent,  so  great  a  compliment  to  Mexi- 
cans, completely  turned  the  heads  of  the  cahal- 
leros^  and  one  universal  shout  demanded  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  opera." 

Tlie  desire  that  Anna  should  give  another  series 
of  her  Dramatic  Concerts  was  natural  enough  ; 
and,  had  it  not  so  chanced  that  Ilerz,  the  eminent 
pianist,  had  engaged-  the    theatre  from    the   last 


122  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

night  of  her  term,  it  is  probable  she  would  have 
done  so.  A  coin-t-yard,  covered  with  awnings, 
was  offered,  but  which  she  as  courteously  declin- 
ed ;  and  the  party  made  immediate  preparations 
to  visit  the  city  of  Puebla,  116  miles  from  the  capi- 
tal and  on  the  road  to  Yera  Cruz. 


P  U  E  B  L  A . 

PuEBLA,  the  largest  and  finest  city  of  the  Eepublic, 
after  that  of  Mexico,  is  one  of  no  less  musical  im- 
portance ;  nor  would  the  inhabitants  hear  of  An- 
na's leaving  the  countiy  without  paying  them  a 
visit,  having  forwarded  to  her  some  of  the  most 
heartrending  expressions  of  their  anxiety  upon  the 
subject. 

By  this  time,  Bochsa  had  learned  something  of 
travelling  in  Mexico ;  and  the  professional  ward- 
robes, trunks,  band-boxes,  bundles,  and  Bochsa's 
old  lady,  (as  he  affectionately  calls  his  harp,)  were 
to  be  sent  to  Puebla,  in  three  days,  by  the  Govern- 
ment express,  which  transports,  monthly,  some  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  Mexican  piastres^  to  Yera 
Cruz,  to  be  shipped  to  England  and  France.* 

*  This  conduite,  or  equipage,  consists  of  a  number  of  wag- 
ons, accompanied  by  five  or  six  hundred  military,  and  several 
bank  clerks.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Mexican  piastres  at  Paris, 
they  are  melted,  the  particles  of  gold  they  are  known  to  con- 
tain extracted,  and  the  residue  re-coined. — Ed. 

11 


124  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  then,  Anna,  Bochsa, 
and  party,  left  the  metropolis  for  Puebla,  which 
they  were  fortunate  enough  to  reach,  by  the  dili- 
gencia,  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  albeit  that 
same  diligencia — Bochsa  had  heard — had  been 
grossly  robbed,  not  a  week  before.  And  there,  on 
alighting  at  the  casa  de  la  diligencia^  they  found 
both  the  "  judge  "  and  manager  of  the  theatre  El 
Principal^  awaiting  Anna's  arrival  with  becoming 
dignity. 

Bochsa,  ever  prompt  in  business,  despatched  it  at 
once  ;  and,  in  less  than  two  hours  after  his  arrival, 
had  arranged  with  the  "  author "  (the  so-styled 
manager,)  to  give  a  series  of  performances  at  the 
Princijpal^  and  had  likewise  fixed  upon  the  orches- 
tra and  choruses.  He  discovered,  moreover,  that  a 
large  number  of  dilettanti  patronized  and  support- 
ed an  operatic  troupe  in  Puebla,  who,  though  na- 
tives, performed  full  operas  in  Italian,  styling  them- 
selves "  Puebla  Italiam,a  Compania^''  The  musi- 
cal director  of  this  troupe — ^Bochsa  was  informed — 
had  had  no  acquaintance  whatever  with  music  un- 
til very  recently  ;  while  the  Prima  Do7ina  had, 
but  a  very  short  time  previous,  sold  tortillas  and 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  125        " 

such-like  luxuries  on  the  street-corner !  They  did 
not,  however,  perform  at  the  Principal  /  but  at  a 
very  small,  new  theatre,  called  El  Progresso^'a. 
very  apt  name,  certainly,  considering  that  the  pro- 
gress to  the  boxes  is  effected  by  means  of  ladders, 
and  the  floor,  of  disjointed  planks,  trembling  under 
one's  feet,  threatens  a  swift  progress  into  the  cellar 
at  every  step. 

The  following  day,  Anna  and  Bochsa,  seeing 
"  !Norma "  largely  announced  by  the  Puebla 
troupe^  determined,  if  possible,  to  witness  the  per- 
formance incogniti.  Thither,  accordingly,  in  the 
evening,  they  proceeded  quietly,  bought  their  tick- 
ets without  a  word,  and  entered.  Whereupon  An- 
na was  startled  by  a  series  of  moans  of  the  most 
mournful  description,  whining  from  some  instru- 
ment which  seemed,  to  her  hearing,  very  like  a 
hurdy-gurdy !  She  was  Mailing  to  make  allow- 
ances ;  but  this  she  could  n't  believe  ;  and,  staring 
around  her  into  an  obscure  corner,  she.  perceived 
a  lonely  double-bass,  in  process  of  tuning,  all  by 
itself. 

The  orchestra  was  composed  of  about  fifteen 
musicians;  and,  during  their  instrumentation,  the 


126  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

director  beat  time  with,  a  cane,  or  pole,  wliicli 
Bochsa  much  coveted  ;  for  he  was  struck  with  its 
value  in  case  of  refractory  performers,  and  made 
a  note  of  it. 

The  orchestra'  did  very  well  notwithstanding, 
and  no  doubt  the  best  they  could  ;  though  Bochsa 
remarked  that,  in  all  cases  of  intricate  and  diffi- 
cult passages,  they  would  suddenly  stop  short, 
the  hazardous  flights  being  taken  up  by  a  piano- 
forte, till  the  danger  was  over,  when  the  full  band 
would  chime  in  again  and  carry  the  affair  through 
very  smoothly.  Indeed,  so  far  as  the  music  went, 
generally,  the  entertainment  was  good ;  though 
the  attraction  was  materially  diminished  by  a 
strong  circus-odor  of  stabling,  proceeding  from  be- 
hind the  stage. 

Some  of  the  choruses  wore  tunics  of  extreme 
brevity,  leaving  a  decouvert  a  kind  of  Mexican 
breeches  with  a  profusion  of  buttons ;  and  all  seem- 
ed so  anxious  not  to  lose  the  time,  that  they  were 
finally  gaining  upon  each  other  at  a  most  crazy 
and  bewildering  rate,  in  spite  of  the  director's 
pole. 

The  Norma  was  the  prima  donna  of  meal-pan- 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  127 

cake  memory,  and  had,  together  with  huge  eyes, 
a  very  dark  Indian  complexion  plainly  visible 
beneath  its  incrustation  of  white  and  rouge,  and 
who,  during  the  flute  ritornelle  preceding  Casta 
Dma^  walked  arm  in  arm  with  Oroveso.  She  had, 
however,  a  good  clear  mezzo  soprano  voice,  well  in 
tune,  but  for  its  predisposition  in  common  with  her 
taste  for  dress,  to  tinsel  itself  off,  astonishing  Bel- 
lini's exquisite  cavatina  by  such  fugitive  fioritori^ 
shakes,  off-shoots  and  sudden  stops,  that  its  natural 
material  was  completely  smothered  beneath  this 
mass  of  ragged  musical  finery — which,  notwith- 
standing, the  pit  amateurs  and  somhreros  applauded 
a  VoutranGe  ! 

Before  the  end  of  the  first  act,  Bochsa  having 
more  than  once  given  vent  to  his  irrepressible 
mirth  in  rather  fortissima  voce,  Anna  thought  it 
best  to  quit  the  place,  lest  they  should  be  recog- 
nised. Bochsa  consented ;  simply  remarking  on 
his  way  home  that,  as  the  city  was  called  la  Pue- 
hla  de  los  Angelos^  it  would  have  been  well  if  a 


*  "  The  City  of  the  Angels'''' — the  origin  of  which  term  is  de- 
rived from  the  tradition  that  the  inhabitants,  in  former  times, 

11* 


128  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

dozen  or  so  of  cherubim  had  condescended  to 
come  and  join  in  Korma's  choruses,  and  assist 
in  the  trumpet  solos. 

No  other  topic  now  absorbed  the  public  but 
Anna  and  her  approaching  performances ;  and  she 
was  visited  by  all  the  dignitaries  and  ton  of  Pue- 
hla^  and  the  stalls  and  boxes  were  bought  up  at 
prices  which  would  seem  (for  a  provincial  town) 
utterly  fabulous.  The  receipts  of  the  first  night 
exceeded  $1300;  and,  of  four  concerts  given  in 
less  than  twelve  days,  the  result  was  a  net  profit 
of  $3000.     Bochsa  was  satisfied. 

The  Press  of  Puebla  speaks  of  Anna  in  terms  of 
praise  not  less  prodigally  than  that  of  Mexico. 
One  journal,  alluding  to  "  this  sublime  artiste^'' 
further  says — "  her  delicious  voice,  whose  touches 
cause  vibration  of  the  finest  fibres  of  our  hearts, 
elevates  om*  souls,  transporting  4;hem  into  another 
world  of  poesy  and  beauty ! "  It  here  eulogizes 
the  "  marvellous  harmonies  of  the  cahallero  Boch- 


were  assisted  in  the  construction  of  its  walls  and  fortifications 
by  several  angels,  who  had  come  down  from  Heaven  for  that 
express  purpose. — Ed. 


AKNA    LN    MEXICO.  <129 

sa,"  and  concludes  r — "  That  night,  the  29th  of 
August,  will  ever  be  to  us  a  night  of  sweetest 
recollection — a  night  of  singular  and  perfect  bliss 
in  the  history  of  om*  lives ! " 


Of  the  second  soiree,  "J5'^  JVoticioso  "  notices  ef- 
fects produced,  rather  than  endeavors  to  criticize ; 
and  specifies  '-'■Barhier "  as  the  gem  of  the  even- 
ing, in  which  Anna  was  thrice  encored. 

'•''La  H&publica "  cites  the  receipts  to  have  ex- 
ceeded $2,200.  Much  jDraise  is  given  to  the  satis- 
factory manner  in  which  Senorita  Mosquira,  a  na- 
tive, acquitted  herself  as  Adalgisa  to  Anna's  Nor- 
ma— the  duo  being  thrice  encored,  and  concludes 
by  the  re-announcement  of  Iforma^  and  a  predic- 
tion of  the  avidity  with  which  it  will  be  attended. 


Of  the  thiTd  soiree,  ^''El  Pueblo'^''  announces 
that  the  Duo  of  Norma^  sung  by  Anna  and  la  Se- 
norita Munoz^  was  repeated  four  times. 

This   performance  had   been   given   by  request 


*  Much  credit  is  certainly  due  to  Anna  and  Bochsa  for  the 
happy  disposition  they  jointly  possess,  to  forward  and  encour- 
age any  young  artiste  of  promise,  and  to  promote    their  inter 

6* 


130  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

of  the  dilettanti^  on  Sunday  evening.  The  scena 
from  ^Ha  Fllle  du  RegimenV  likewise  elicited 
an  encore  that  is  described  as  deafening. 


In  concluding  these  few  condensed  hints  from 
the  copious  written  demonstrations  of  Anna's 
pleasurable  success  at  Puehla^  I  cannot  pass  over 
a  very  curious  "article"  which  appears  to  have 
been  addressed  to  some  extremely  warm  admirer 
of  Senorita  Mitftoz^  through  the  columns  of  "  El 
Begulador''' — and  which,  verily,  may  be  of  service 
to  many  folks  in  the  world  besides  artists  !  It 
runs  thus  : — 

"  Reply  to  a  certain  estimahle  friend  on  his 
ojpinio7i    of   the    third   soiree   of   Anna  Bishop. 

TRUTHS  AND  SENTENCES  SELECTED  FKOM  THE  FAMOUS 


FATHER  GRULLO.* 

"  Love  and  Hate  should  be  strangers  to  dis- 
cussion. 

ests  by  friendly  and  valuable  advice.  Such  veas  the  case,  I 
understand,  with  regard  to  the  Senorita  Muiioz,  v?ho  must  ever 
be  grateful  for  their  kindness  and  zeal  in  trying  to  improve  her 
talent. — Ed. 

*  Who  Father  Grullo  was,  Bochsa  could  never  find  out ; 
otherwise  it  is  probable  he  would  have  embraced  him,  as  his 
maxims  seem  so  literally  to  coincide  with  Bochsa's  ideas  of 
things. — Ed. 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  131 

"  A  good  voice  is  not  everything  in  music. 

"  The  voice  of  a  singer  does  not  constitute  his 
genius ;  though,  if  genius  existed  in  him,  his  voice 
should  make  him  eminent. 

"  To  judge  of  a  whole  hy  its  part,  is  not  logic, 
and  admits  of  no  debate. 

"  The  jjolished  diamond  shall  always  be  prefer- 
red to  the  rough  and  imshaped. 

"  IsTothing  is  wanted  but  wealth  to  make  a  man 
rich/ — ^let  him,  then,  obtain  it,  and  he  shall  be 
powerful. 

"  When  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  I  shall  sing  as 
sung  the  author  of  the  Iliad — I  shall  be  Homer. 
When  I  shall  write  a  work  superior  to  the  "  Mar- 
tyrs'''' and  to  the  genius  of  Christianity,  I  shall 
have  the  right  to  demand,  with  a  sense  of  pride 
and  satisfaction — '  who  speaks,  down  there  ! ' — and 
Chateaubriand  shall  answer,  at  my  feet,  '  Here 
am  I! ' 

"  Let  every  man  say — '  I  am  satisfied  with  what 
I  know!' — then,  farewell  for  ever  to  Minerva's 
crowns,  the  triumj)hs  of  art,  the  glories  of  sci- 
ence, and  to  all  energy  towards  perfection. 

"  The   common   assertion   that   '  all   thinojs   are 


132  AJSfNA     IN     ilEXICO. 

subject  to  man'  is  untrue,  unless  to  it  be  added — 
'  as  man  is  subject  to  all  things.' 

"  Genius  without  protection  is  as  mines  unex- 
plored. 

"  A  table,  however  well  served,  if  nothing  is 
inlaid  upon  it,  is  but  a  table. 

"  Za  Senorita  Munoz  is  a  young  artiste  of  great 
promise  and  greater  hopes,  a  gem  that  may  be  ren- 
dered j)redious  in  the  hands  of  the  lapidary.  K  he 
neglects  it,  and  the  object  of  the  public  be  a  clap- 
ping of  hands,  without  according  due  protection  to 
its  value,  it  must  remain  forever  wrapt  up,  lost 
in  the  mists  of  error. 

"  Mad.  Anna  Bishop,  favorite  of  fortune,  would 
scorn  the  union  of  artificial  glitter  to  the  brilliancy 
of  her  natural  gifts — for  they  would  but  be  ob- 
stacles, in  the  end,  upon  her  path  to  glory. 

"  An  elegant  lady,  treading  the  stage  with 
enchanting  grace  of  motion,  revealing  a  perfect 
finish  of  education,  whose  countenance  is  full  of 
expression,  whose  eyes  are  ardent  and  penetrating, 
exhibiting  successively  the  different  and  various 
emotions  of  the  heart — such  a  woman  may,  to 
vulgar  sight,  appear  silly  and  affected  ;  while  to 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  133 

the  sound  in  judgment,  she  will  only  seem  a  being 
whose  genius  elevates  her  to  the  temple  of  immor- 
tality ! 

"By  the  thread  we  judge  of  the  cloth" — is  a 
favorite  Castilian  adage ;  and  we  apply  it  unre- 
servedly to  the  great  Maestro  Bochsa  and  to  his 
sublime  pupil. 

"  A  man  who,  like  the  Signor  Valtellina,  sings 
with  the  written  music  in  his  hands,  is,  to  our 
eyes,  no  more  than  a  statue,  or,  at  the  most,  the 
fabulous  bust  of  Don  Antonio^  whose  head  talked 
by  enchantment,  as  described  by  Cervantes." 

The  foregoing  philosophical  propositions  and 
heads  of  argument,  are  certainly  replete  with 
self-evident  facts  ;  and  it  is  not  difficult  to  per- 
ceive what  the  deductions  would  be,  as  applied 
to  the  subject  in  hand. 


The  lions^  which  characterize  this  "  city  of  the 
angels,"  are  much  the  same  in  feature  as  those  of 
Mexico — crowds  of  churches,  convents,  squares, 
arcades,  and  a  Paseo  (little  frequented),  together 
with  lots  of  foreign  shops,  and  streets  filled  with 
jolly   fat   friars,    stout,    happy-looking    dogs,  who 


134  ANNA     EN     MEXICO. 

form  a  forcible  and  painful  contrast  to  the  innu- 
merable lank  beggars  and  miserable  Lejperos.  The 
society  is  very  limited,  and  the  heads  of  it,  such 
as  it  is,  are  those  in  public  power,  as  the  Governor 
and  Commandant  General — very  amiable  and 
gentlemanly  functionaries. 

Anna,  wishing  to  visit  some  of  the  principal 
cities  of  the  interior,  now  returned,  with  Bochsa 
and  party,  to  head  quarters — the  city  of  Mexico — 
in  the  early  part  of  September. 


PKEPAEATIOKS     FOE     TRAYEL 
IKTO    THE    INTEEIOE. 

The  contemplatiop  of  a  journey  in  tlie  north  now 
promised  to  Anna  the  variety  of  a  few  more  fa- 
tigues, privations,  and  exciting  dangers,  somewhat 
greater,  in  fact,  than  any  she  had  as  yet  under- 
gone. Bochsa  discovered  that  the  roads  were 
abominable,  with  scarcely  any  accommodation  for 
man  or  beast — that  the  arrieros  were  in  nowise  so 
regular  and  expeditious  as  those  on  the  Yera  Cruz 
route — that  the  diligencia  was  a  break-neck  con- 
cern, without  any  escort,  or  means  of  carrying  lug- 
gage, and  Ladrones^  and  other  high-way  robbers, 
uncomfortably  numerous.  It  was,  therefore,  con- 
cluded upon  between  Anna  and  Bochsa  that,  in 
order  to  travel  with  any  sort  of  security,  the  best 
plan  would  be  to  hire  a  spacious  carriage,  as  is 
the  custom  with  Mexican  families  when  travelling, 

drawn  by  a  dozen  good  mules,  and  well  escorted 

12 


136  AJraA     IN    MEXICO. 

by  a  set  of  stout,  brave  men.  Besides  which, 
there  might  be  piled  on,  and  otherwise  attached 
to  the  vehicle,  any  required  tonnage  of  trunks, 
beds,  linen,  crockery,  knives  and  (not  silver)  forks  ; 
as  also  plates,  a  furnished  kitchen,  provisions, 
wine,  or  other  trifles  which  they  might  want  on 
the  route — and  all  this  they  determined  to  do. 
For,  be  it  known,  in  the  meson^^  where  our  party 
would  have  to  take  their  meals  and  sleep  by  the 
way,  no  decent  larder  could  be  expected  ;  and  as 
for  beds — the  luxuries  afforded  were  limited  to  a 
wooden  bench,  not  always  with  its  necessary  com- 
plement of  legs,  a  rickety  table,  with  cross-pieces 
for  the  feet,  and  placed  so  high  up  that  the  sitter's 
knees  and  chin  met — to  conclude  with  a  small 
platform,  frequently  of  brick,  in  a  comer,  whereon, 
with  or  without  mattrasses,  travellers  might  lie  at 
pleasure.  Sometimes  the  platform  of  brick  is  not 
to  be  had  at  any  price,  and  the  traveller  has,  in 
consequence,  to  put  up  with  the  dinner-table. 

*  Meson — derived,  no  doubt,  from  the  French,  maison — a 
tavern  with  a  ground-floor  only,  and  bed-rooms  set  all  round 
the  court-yard.  Here  Mexican  travelling-carriages,  mules,  and 
muleteers,  usually  stop  over  night. — Ed. 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  137 

The  carriage  which  had  been  selected  for  the 
journey  was  of  a  most  ancient  and  venerable 
aspect — shaped  like  a  stupendous  melon.  And 
what  added  not  a  little  to  its  bulk  and  ponder- 
ousness,  was  its  paint.  The  body  of  that  vehicle 
was,  in  the  main,  one  massive  compound  incrust- 
ation of  paint — paint  which  seemed  to  have  been 
plastered  on  semi-annually  for  centuries,  broken 
into  innumerable  deep  and  fantastic  dents,  appear- 
ing to  Bochsa's  first  sight  a  combination  of  the 
richest  elaborate  stucco-work  and  Ijas-Telief.  Its 
elevation  (some  four  feet)  from  the  ground,  sug- 
gested at  once  the  necessity  of  a  chair  to  ascend 
to  the  first  step,  and  the  word  "chair"  was  im- 
mediately on  Bochsa's  memoranda,  to  be  piled 
up  back,  with  the  other  trifles.  For  there  were 
two  huge  platforms,  behind  and  before  it,  each 
large  enough  to  carry  a  vehicle  much  above  its 
own  size,  if  thought  proper ;  while  underneath  it 
swung  a  great  net,  made  of  cables,  for  the  purpose 
of  bearing  luggage  of  a  heavier  description,  and  a 
servant  or  two  thrown  in.  That  vehicle  alone  must 
have  been  a  curiosity  ^  but  that  which  excited 
BochscDs  most  was  a  round  hole  through  the  side 


138  AJNfNA    IN    MEXICO. 

of  it,  just  above  the  back  seat,  and  which  had 
been  formed,  he  was  told  on  inquiry,  by  a  pistol- 
shot  filled  one  pleasant  evening  at  a  certain  Gen- 
eral who  had  made  himself  obnoxious  to  some 
political  faction !  He  who  shot  it  supposed  the 
General  to  be  seated  on  the  back  seat,  whereas, 
by  a  happy  chance,  he  sat  on  the  front  seat — ■ 
which  saved  his  life.  "When  Bochsa  heard  this 
he  immediately  had  the  pistol-hole  filled  up,  and 
the  next  article  to  be  considered  upon  was  the 
coachman. 

IlTow,  Anna  desired  that  Napoleon,  above  all 
others,  should  be  her  coachman,  so  proudly  had 
he  served  her  in  that  exalted  capacity  up  to  this 
date.  This  desire  Bochsa  <luly  intimated  to  l^apo- 
leon;  but  when  the  man  came  to  look  upon  the 
general  disposition  of  the  ark — that  locomotive 
liotel  garni — notwithstanding  its  sturdy  wheels 
and  the  incredible  amount  of  timber  that  held  it 
all  together,  he  gave  one  pitiful  shrug,  saying, 

"Indeed,  I  have  a  great  respect  for  Madame 
Anna  Bishop,  and  for  you,  Mons.  le  Chevalier,  as 
well.  But  there  is  no  box-seat,  and  I^apoleon 
never  yet  went  en  arriere^  nor  can  he  degrade 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  139 

Vhonnev/)'  Frangals  by  riding  on  a  mule.  What  1 
Napoleon  horseback  on  a  mule !  Monsieur^  it 
would  be  a  disgrace.  Besides,  the  capital  is  my 
field ;  the  country  air  is  not  my  element,  and  I  can 
breathe  nothing  but  capital  atmospheres.  I,  Mon- 
sieur, who  have  been  an  hahitui  of  the  Tuilleries, 
Fontainbleau,  St.  Cloud " 

"  Well,  well,"  interposed  Bochsa  gently,  seeing 
that  Napoleon  was  getting  unnecessarily  warmed 
up — and  not  wishing  to  press  him  farther,  ho2:)ed 
to  see  him  when  they  returned. 

"  Yery  likely  you  may,  Monsieur.  ^  Quien  sabe  ? 
Now  that  we  are  at  the  Elisee" — meaning  that 
the  Napoleons  were  again  in  power  in  France — 
"  and  that  soon  we  shall  be  an  Emperor,  you  will, 
perhaps,  find  me  at  the  Tuilleries,  or  St.  Cloud,  or 
—  Vive  I  "'Emp " 

"  My  dear  Napoleon,"  interposed  Bochsa,  defer- 
entially, "  good-by.  Be  happy  and  prosperous  ; 
but  do  n't  think  of  being  an  emperor  on  any  ac- 
count, for  it  will  not  secure  either  the  happiness  or 
prosperity  I  wish  to  you  !  "  And  Bochsa  left  Na- 
poleon to  consider  the  exjDediency  of  taking  his  ad- 
vice, and  went  in  seach  of  recruits  for  Anna's  es- 

12* 


140  ANNA     IN     SIEXICO. 

coi*t.  By  the  aid  of  influential  friends  this  matter 
was  accomplished  without  much  delay ;  and  finally 
eight  tall  and  valiant  men  were  picked  from  tho 
military,  to  be  placed  imder  command  of  an  ex- 
lieutenant  of  the  army,  Don  Pepe  Silva.  They 
were  to  be  well  mounted,  each  armed  with  a  cara- 
bine, sword,  a  lance  with  Mexican  colors,*  and  a 
lasso  ! — for  the  military  commandant  of  the  City 
of  Mexico  had  freely  given  the  necessary  permis- 
sion for  Anna's  escort  to  carry  arms  ;  besides 
which.  His  Excellency,  the  President  of  the  Ke- 
public,  was  kind  enough  to  forward  his  orders  to 
all  the  governors  and  prefets  of  the  States  through 
which  she  was  to  pass,  that  they  should  give  all 
due  protection  to  the  great  Prima  Donna  and 
party,  and  furnish  her  with  extra  guards,  in  case 
of  necessity. 

Tlie  escort  already  on  hand  was  comj)osed  of 
Mexicans  who  had  served  in  the  army — with  the 


*  The  Mexican  lance  is  said  to  be  the  most  effectual  weapon 
for  keeping  Ladrones  at  a  respectful  distance  ;  inasmuch  as  its 
steel  point,  gleaming  in  the  sun,  is  visible  to  them  for  half  a 
mile,  and  heralds  to  their  sight  the  fact  of  the  party  being 
armed. — Ed. 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  141 

exception  of  one,  Don  Marco,  who  had  formerly- 
been  a  tailor,  and  had  left  the  needle  for  the 
sword,  pricked  on  by  a  natural  bias  for  adven- 
ture 'and  travelling.  All  treated  each  other  with 
uncommon  civility ;  the  proud  blood  of  the  Marcos 
passing  freely  in  the  midst  of  the  other  bloods, 
with  the  aristocratic  prefix  of  "  Don "  punctili- 
ously interchanged  between  them,  while  the  two 
coachmen  courteously  followed  suit,  the  cocliero 
major^  Don  Alvaredo,  never  addressing  his  sub- 
ordinate without  the  Don  Mariano. 

The  high-lifed  Bochsa  w^as  much  pleased  to  ob- 
serve that  nsage  du  monde  among  republicans,  and 
never  failed,  when  his  little  army  called  him  "  His 
Excellency,  el  caballero  Don  Carlos,''^  to  take  his 
hat  off,  after  the  fashion  of  Louis  Phillippe — to 
whose  person,  manner,  and  countenance,  by  the 
way,  "Bochsa's  resemblance  is  not  a  little  remark- 
able. 

Meanwhile  Anna,  not  to  be  unemployed,  had 
engaged  a  Mexican  valet,  whose  name  was  Don 
Luis  Cortes.  This  latter  Don  w^as  considerable  of  a 
character — a  dapper,  smart,  tight  little  fellow,  and 
very    much   pleased   with   himself,  as  little   men 


142  Ai^NA     IN     MEXICO. 

generally  are.  His  teetli  were  enormous,  and  of 
elephantine  whiteness,  and  continually  flashing  in 
broad,  full  view,  contrasting  strongly  with  a  com- 
plexion of  Moorish  bronzeness.  And  then  the 
tightness  and  fit  of  his  Mexican  dress  set  him  off 
with  an  appearance  of  great  lightness  about  the 
legs;  while  his  sonibrero^  perched  on  the  top  of  his 
black,  thick,  thistly  hair,  was  secured  from  the 
wind-blast  by  a  black  ribbon,  tied  coquettishly  un- 
der the  chin,  being  of  the  finest  leghorn  and  cover- 
ed with  an  oil-skin  of  the  most  brilliant  jet,  orna- 
mented with  the  customary  silver  trinkets. 

The  Don  Luis  had  been  a  lackey  in  the  family 
of  General  Yanderlinden — which  was  a  good  re- 
commendation. He  could  also  cook  very  passably 
— another  good  point,  especially  to  Bochsa,  who 
could  not  help  remarking  how  singularly  fortunate 
his  dear  Anna  had  been,  to  have  had,  ah*eady,  Wa- 
poleon  for  a  coachman,  and  had  now  engaged 
Cortes  for  a  cook!  Moreover,  Bochsa  bought  for 
him  a  cavalry  sword,  which,  though  nearly  as  long 
as  the  Don  himself,  set  his  teeth  gleaming  with  im- 
measurable delight  for  a  week  after. 

Pistols  and  carabines  were  likewise  provided  for 


ANNA    EST    MEXICO.  143 

the  travellers  inside,  Anna  selecting  for  her  own 
express  use  a  charming  little  deadly  instrument,  in 
the  shape  of  a  six-barrelled  revolver,  which,  to- 
gether with  her  bright  black  eyes,  she  thought 
might  do  some  havoc. 

Bochsa,  too,  had  exchanged  his  haton  of  chef 
d'oTcliestre  for  a  stout,  curiously-wrought,  bronze- 
topped  cane,  which,  he  was  satisfied,  would  quite 
as  well  impress  il  tem^o  fugato  on  the  heads  of  in- 
truders, or  any  other  discordant  band. 

The  Secretary  had  as  •  much  as  he  could 
attend  to  with  bags  of  ]30wder,  percussion-caps, 
bullets,  and  boxes  of  potted  meats,  fish  and  mush- 
rooms and  things,  the  sacred  charge  of  which 
would,  in  case  of  an  attack,  only  permit  him  to  act 
on  the  moral  suasiveness  of  such  luxm-ies  as  he 
could  offer  to  appease  the  appetites  of  the  robbers 
before  they  began  to  carve  for  themselves.  This 
was  diplomatic ;  for  he  undoubtedly  supposed  that, 
like  aldermen,  the  better  they  were  fed,  the  less 
would  they  attend  to  their  professional  duties. 

Finally,  the  chair,  for  the  pm-pose  of  getting  up 
to  the  first  step  of  the  vehicle,  was  purchased ;  and, 
in  fact,  the  nameless  machine  was  finally  crammed,* 


144:  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

over-shadowed  and  stuck  round  with  such  a  chaos 
of  household  necessaries  that  Anna  might  just  as 
well  have  counted  on  passing  her  nights  d  la  helle 
etoile,  in  her  glorious  independence  of  brick  plat- 
forms, or  taking  her  meals  under  the  umbrageous 
magueys^  or  on  the  toj3  of  any  volcanic  rock  they 
might  chance  to  come  against,  and  all  without  the 
least  discomfort  in  the  world. 

The  28th  inst.  was  set  apart  for  their  off-start 
towards  Queretaro — a  city  of  some  importance, 
185  miles  north  of  the  capital,  with  divers  magnifi- 
cent convents,*  superb  churches,  and  a  fine  cock- 
pit for  a  theatre  ! — retaining,  however,  their  apart- 
ments at  the  Bazaar  Hotel ^  until  their  return. 
Meanwhile,  Anna  busied  herself  in  laying  in  an 
extensive  cargo  of  needles,  thread,  muslin,  laces, 
pretty  German  designs  for  embroidery,  etc.,  etc., 
etc.  For  Anna  seems  to  be,  among  other  things, 
an  expert  milliner;  inasmuch  as  I  have  been  as- 
sured that  her  elegant  little  aprons  and  becoming 
little  caps  are,  for  the  most  part,  "  composed  " — as 

*  The  Convent  of  Santa  Clara  occupies  nearly  two  square 
•miles  of  ground. — Ed. 


ANNA     m     MEXICO.  145 

j  the  Mexicans  would  say — by  herself,  and  that,  too, 

•  while  jostling  in  a  carriage  or  sMmming  upon  a 

railway,  catching  her  stiches  flying,  as  it  were,  and 

thinking  no  more  of  crotchet-work  in  a  stage-coach 

than  of  quavers  on  the  stage  of  a  theatre. 


THE    STAETING. 

The  journey  to  Queretaro  was  expected  to  be  of 
some  five  days'  dm*ation ;  and,  although  but  seven 
leagues  were  to  be  accomplished  on  the  first  day, 
Bochsa  wisely  made  aiTangements  to  start  at  six  in 
the  morning,  being  persuaded  that  the  absurd  spec- 
tacle presented,  "  for  the  first  time  in  the  country," 
by  the  appearance  of  such  a  jocose  conveyance, 
flanked  by  twelve  men  armed  to  the  teeth,  would 
only  disturb  the  quietness  of  the  streets,  and  alarm 
the  half-waked-up  inhabitants  with  a  surmise  that 
another  revolution  was  on  foot,  and  the  president 
was  flying  his  country  with  all  his  goods  and  chat- 
ties and  those  of  his  relatives  and  friends.  It  was 
farther  agreed  upon  that  the  party  should  leave  the 
hotel  in  a  peaceful  and  private  way,  as  though  no- 
thing were  going  to  happen,  and  drive  to  the  spot 
of  general  rendezvous,  wliere  the  machine  awaited 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  147 

them ;  and  this  was  at  the  house  of  Don  Jose 
s  Montes,  to  whom  it  belonged,  and  here  Captain 
Don  Pepe  Silva  and  his  mounted  escort  were  to  be 
mustered,  ready  for  departure. 

Acting  upon  this  project,  on  the  arrival  of  the 
I  travellers  at  the  hour  and  spot  named,  they  found 
their  formidable  guard  looking  desperately  warlike 
and  determined  ;  while  Bochsa,  with  Anna  tucked 
snugly  under  his  arm,  passed  them  in  review  with 
the  utmost  dignity,  and  said,  as  he  waved  his  hand 
towards  her  with  much  dramatic  eifect — of  which, 
like  the  Emperor  ]^apoleon,  he  was  very  fond  : — 

"  To  you,  caballeros,  I  recommend  her  safety ! 
Be  courageous,  at  the  risk  of  your  necks,  and  de- 
fend her  at  the  peril  of  yom*  lives  !  " 

Bochsa  would  have  thrown  in  a  word  for  him- 
self;  but  he  trusted  that  was  understood.  Besides, 
his  indifferent  Spanish  would  have  scarce  been  in- 
telligible as  it  was,  but  for  the  energy  of  his  ges- 
tures, the  expressive  evolutions  of  his  huge  cane, 
and  the  deep  glow  of  his  face,  which,  taken  in  the 
aggregate,  gave  them  to  comprehend  his  drift,  and 
whereunto   they   replied   by  a  furious  flourish  of 

their    lances,    Don    Pepe    Silva     l»randisliiiig     hi*' 

13 


148  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

sword  over  his  head  in  a  manner  that  would  have 
secured  him  a  life-engagement  with  Hamblin, 
including  three  half-clear  benefits  a  month — 
it  was  so  perfectly  horrifying  and  full  of  "  thrill- 
ing interest !  !  I "  Whereat,  the  teeth  of  Don 
Luis  Cortes  gleamed  with  the  most  intense  satis- 
faction, as  he  grinned  alternately  at  his  small 
bay  horse,  then  at  his  sword,  and  then  all  around 
him,  Anna  laughing  merrily  the  while,  and  Boch- 
sa  profoundly  bowing  with  his  hand  on  his  heart. 
Bochsa  then  addressed  a  few  military  interroga- 
tions to  Don  Pepe,  to  show  him  that  he  was 
himself  something  of  a  warrior ;  and  was  there- 
upon summoned,  together  with  Anna,  into  a  small 
room,  where  cups  of  savory  mocha  had  been  pre- 
pared and  served  up  by  the  mercurial  Cortes, 
with  the  necessary  accompaniments  of  hot  rolls 
and  fresh,  sweet  butter ;  not  forgetting,  as  a  point 
of  good  generalship,  on  the  eve  of  danger,  to  re- 
fresh his  military  by  a  liberal  ration  of  jpulqite^ 
to  wash  down  and  otherwise  increase  the  relish 
of  the  raw  turnips,  onions,  tortillas  and  sugar- 
cane, which  they  were  devouring  with  the  grossest 
deliofht. 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  149 

And  now  the  party  were  ready  to  mount.  Tlie 
chair  was  placed  before  the  step,  Anna  and  Bochsa 
ascended,  got  in,  seated  themselves  triumphantly 
side  by  side  on  the  back  seat,  the  Secretary  on  the 
front,  the  door  was  shut,  and  the  chair  securely 
perched  up  behind.  And  now  the  mules  (twelve  in 
number,)  pricked  up  their  ears — the  cochero  inajor^ 
Don  Alvaredo,  leaped  upon  the  leader — Don  Ma- 
riano, his  aid,  on  the  twelfth — Cortes  bounded  to 
the  saddle  of  his  bay,  took  position  at  the  carriage 
door,  on  Anna's  side,  reining  up  his  steed  to  give 
him  the  appearance  of  being  fiery,  imtil  he  had 
several  times  backed  him  up  against  the  house. 
And  now  the  Captain,  Don  Pepe  Silva,  stood 
forth,  at  the  head  of  four  of  the  escort,  to  lead 
the  equipage  at  the  first  signal.  He  wore  the  uni- 
form of  the  blue  Mexican  jacqueta^  conspicuously 
decorated  with  thi-ee  crosses  of  honor,  and  a  large 
Tinmilitary  but  comfortable  gray  hat ;  and  an  im- 
mense green  cavalry  manteau,  which  had  evi- 
dently seen  great  service,  was  rolled  up  behind 
his  saddle,  on  the  back  of  a  chestnut  horse  with 
one  significant  eye — and  altogether,  (in  the  words 
of  the  immortal  James,  who  has  somewhere  de- 


150  A^^KA     IN     MEXICO. 

scribed  such  a  thing,) — "  he  was  a  horseman  whose 
general  a]3pearance,  thongh  mysterious,  was  com- 
manding, and  bespoke  a  nature  of  more  than 
ordinary  fierceness  under  aggravating  circum- 
stances." 

And  now,  from  the  heavy  rope  net-work  that  hung 
mider  the  vehicle,  peeped  the  heads  of  servants 
who  had  crawled  therein  to  keep  out  of  the  way, 
amid  casks  of  wine,  ])dtes^  and  half  of  a  lamb 
which  the  epicurean  Bochsa  had  had  an  eye  to  with 
the  intention  of  having  it  "composed  "  into  cotelettes 
a  la  minute^  on  the  first  possible  occasion,  by  the 
adept  Cortes,  whom  he  had  just  ordered  to  go  on 
ahead  and  buy  some  fresh  eggs,  French  bread  and 
fruits,  before  leaving  the  city.  And  now,  nothing 
else  was  wanting  but  to  get  off ;  and  Bochsa,  as- 
suring himself  that  the  rest  of  the  escort  were 
close  in  the  rear,  gave  sudden  vent  to  a  most 
sonorous  "  vamos  ! "  —  and  away  rolled  and 
thumped  and  tumbled  the  towering  mass,  the 
whole  receiving  a  military  salute  at  the  gate, 
which  was  duly  acknowledged  by  Bochsa  and 
Captain  Don  Pepe. 

The  morning  was  serenely  delightful,  disturbed 


AITNA     IN     MEXICO.  151 

only  in  it3  quiet  beauty  by  the  rumbling  din  of 
that  mountainous  equipage,  which  soon  turned  into 
the  suburbs  of  the  capital.  And  yet,  as  the  gor- 
geous City  of  Mexico  receded  from  Anna's  last, 
long,  lingering  look,  she  scarce  could  repress  her 
tears.  Apart  from  the  satisfaction  of  the  laurels 
and  wealth  which  had  crowned  her  talents  there, 
there  was  stiU  much  within  it  she  would  gladly 
have  clung  to — much  that  she  sorrowed  to  leave. 
For,  whatever  may  be  lightly  said  of  the  gi'osser 
faults  of  the  Mexicans,  as  a  nation  and  a  society, 
she  seems  to  have  found,  in  their  midst,  instances 
of  deep  and  honest  sincerity,  fervor  of  heart,  and 
genius  of  the  rnost  attractive  and  brilliant  order. 
Their  courteousness  in  all  intercourse  with  her  had 
won  her  esteem ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
if  their  devoted  homage  to  her  natural  gifts  had 
awakened  within  her  a  feeling  of  the  warmest 
gratitude. 

Bat  now,  fast  faded  from  her  view  the  luxurious 
and  proud  city — ^the  birth-place  and  monmnent  of 
those  bright  scenes,  happier  than  which  she  had 
never  realized  before — leaving  only,  though  deeply 

graven  on  her  memory,  their  imperishable  shapes, 

13» 


152  ANNA     IN    IVIEXICO. 

radiant  in  the  light  of  their  own  glad  and  uncloud- 
ed glories.  And,  as  it  passed,  at  length,  beyond 
her  sight,  she  could  only  say  "  Farewell ! " — and 
dream  of  it  as  one  of  the  brightest  stars  in  the 
galaxy  of  her  eventful  life. 


THE    JOURNEY— FIEST    DAY. 

Anna  now  turned  her  observations  to  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  road-side.  The  green  fields  seemed 
to  smile  their  simny  welcome  upon  her,  while 
Bochsa  diverted  himself  by  looking  at  the  cot- 
tages, made  of  cane,  mud,  or  stony  fragments 
which  had  been  hm*led  about  in  the  neighbor- 
hood by  volcanic  eruptions  in  former  ages.  The 
tenants  of  each  cottage  sat  at  its  door,  smoking 
lazily  and  doing  nothing  else  ;  while  its  exterior 
was  mvariably  ornamented  by  innumerable  bits  of 
raw  meat  on  strings,  forming  garlands  and  festoons 
all  over  it,  of  the  most  pictm-esque  description. 
These  bits  of  meat,  by  the  way,  well  salted  and 
pep]3ered  and  thus  exposed  for  months  to  the  sun, 
constitute,  when  dried,  a  very  extensive  article  of 
commerce  ;  and  Bochsa  thought  them  highly  inte- 
resting. 


154  ANNA.     IN     MEXICO. 

At  length,  Anna,  anxious  for  some  kind  of  infor- 
mation, propounded  various  questions  to  Don 
Cortes  ;  but  Cortes,  being  a  discreet  man,  re- 
sponded only  in  the  eternal  '"''  iQuim  sdbef'' — 
given  with  a  significant  grin  and  leer,  which 
caused  her  finally  to  desist  in  despair.  What  he 
meant,  she  never  found  out.  Bochsa,  however, 
was  more  fortunate.  His  eyes  had  for  some  time 
been  intensely  set  at  something  resembling  small 
pigs,  standing  before  the  door  of  a  cottage  which 
they  were  now  approaching,  and  looking  perfectly 
white  and  polished,  without  a  sign  of  hair  upon 
their  bodies !  He  therefore  inquired  of  Don  Pepe 
— who  had  advanced  and  deferentially  entered  into 
conversation  with  him — if  he  could  inform  him  for 
what  fantastic  pm'pose  Nature  had  made  Mexican 
pigs  without  hair!  Whereupon,. both  looked  at  the 
pigs,  which  remained  motionless,  although  the  ve- 
hicle passed  so  near  them  that  it  would  certainly 
have  disturbed  any  previous  pigs  Bochsa  had  ever 
seen. 

"  Ah,  Senor  caballero,"  said  Don  Pepe,  in  de- 
light at  being  able  to  relieve  Bochsa's  mind,  "those 
piiercos  you  see  there,  standing  quietly  on  their  four 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  155 

f    legs,  are  not  alive— but  contain  j[>ulque^  which  is 

i   sent  in  ttiat  manner  through  the  whole  country." 

Bochsa  started.      "  They   are  first  killed,"  added 

Don  Pepe,  "  and  then  shaved,  and  great  pains  are 

■   taken  to  make  their  skins  as  white  as  the  face  of  a 

European  muchachoP 

"  I  see,"  replied  Bochsa.  "  But  then,  by  tm-ning 
pigs  \nio  pulque  casks,  you  lose  the  succulent  and 
savory  ham,  and  the  delicious  dish  of.  pig's  feet, 
and " 

"  Mani  di  porco — pig's  hands^  you  mean,  Sefior 
caballero  ! " 

"  What ! "  said  Bochsa,  confounded.  "  Tou  call 
the  feet  of  pigs,  hands  !  " 

Don  Pepe  nodded— and  Bochsa  made  instant 
note  of  the  fact  on  his  tablets,  as  a  proof  of  the 
gi'eat  progress  of  Mexican  civilization.  He  fur- 
ther discovered  that  the  Mexicans,  in  common  with 
"the  Jews,  dislike  pork  exceedingly,  believing  the 
very  devil  is  in  it. 

Anna,  in  the  meantime,  found  the  roads  very 
wretched ;  although  the  first  three  leagues  and  a 
half  were  got  over  very  cheerfully  by  dint  of 
pleasant  chat,  only  once  interrupted  by  the  per- 


156  AJSTNA     IN     MEXICO. 

formance  of  what  Boclisa  termed  a  morceau  cPen- 
setnhle — in  other  words,  the  discussion  of  a».  pair  of 
roast  fowls,  a  cold  pdU^  a  tongue  and  sundries, 
with  a  few  glasses  of  Lafitte  and  Cii/ragao.  * 

Soon  after,  Don  Alvaredo  was  observed  to  stop 
the  mules  and  dismount  in  front  of  a  fonda^  in  a 
small  village,  Don  Pepe  following  his  example,  as 
well  as  the  entire  escort— which  caused  Anna  and 
Bochsa  to  stare  out  of  their  respective  windows  to 
see  what  the  matter  was.  They  were  informed 
that  it  was  breakfast  time,  and  were  immediately 
left  to  themselves,  to  alight  if  they  saw  fit.  They 
did  see  fit — for  the  variety  of  the  thing,  if  nothing 
more.  And,  the  chair  being  thereupon  unhitched, 
and  put  to  its  proper  use,  they  descended  accord- 
ingly, stretched  up  a  little,  and  thought  they  would 
go  into  the  fonda.  And  there,  perceiving  the 
body  guard  ranged  imposingly  iK)und  a  large  table, 
covered  with  snow-white  linen  and  loaded  with  hot 
toHilla^^  frijoles^  and  dishes  of  stewed  fowl  with 
tomato  and  Chili  sauce — Bochsa's  face  glowed  with 
a  smile  of  admiring  gratification  almost  amounting 
to  enthusiasm.  While  Anna  regretted  only  that 
the  spirited  performance  of  that  iiwrceau  d'ensemr 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  157 

Ue^  by  herself,  Bochsa  and  secretary  had  so  far 
impaired  their  appetites  that  they  were  forced  to 
limit  themselves  to  delicate  fi'esh  figs,  water-me- 
lons, goat-milk  cheese,  and  several  cups  of  choco- 
late, imder  the  shade  of  some  delightful  old  trees 
hard  by. 

In  less  than  half  an  hour  afterwards,  the  car- 
riage and  retinue  were  again  en  route^  and  about 
two  o'clock,  P.  M.,  reached,  without  any  further 
notable  incident,  the  town  of  Cuantillan,  having 
accomplished  the  twenty-one  miles  in  about  six 
hours. 


CUANTILLAN— AKD    THEII^CE    TO 
QUEEETAEO. 

^Nothing  could  have  seemed  to  the  travelling 
party  more  desolately  miserable  than  the  insignifi- 
cant town  of  Cuantillan — and  the  dingy  little  me- 
son  (the  only  one  in  the  whole  place)  where  Don 
Alvarado  took  them.  ]^ot  a  living  body  was  to  be 
seen  in  the  large  dismal  court-yard — set  around 
with  the  usual  range  of  coops,  called  travellers' 
rooms — save  a  lout  of  a  mozo^  enveloped  in  a  dirty 
ragged  serwpe^  staring  unmeaningly  at  the  artistes 
and  evidently  very  little  disposed  to  put  the  bunch 
of  keys,  dangling  in  his  hand,  to  their  legitimate 
use,  to  give  his  new  guests  their  choice  of  "  apart- 
ments." Finally,  however,  haviug  leisurely  finished 
the  stump  of  his^-ww  (a  very  large  cigar  of  com- 
mon quality),  the  thought  seemed  gradually  to 
dawn  upon  him  that  they  were  standing  there  be- 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  159 

fore  him  for  some  sucli  pm-pose,  and  so,  indolently 
opening  one  door  after  another,  he  merely  men- 
tioned the  fact  of  their  being  ^^  dos  reales''' — or,  two 
shillings — ^per  night  each,  and  then  dragged  him- 
self off  in  a  drowsy  way  to  light  another  puTO — 
all  which,  taken  together,  Bochsa  looked  upon  as 
the  driest  and  most  lazy  proceeding  he  had  wit- 
nessed for  some  months. 

The  rooms  into  which  the  guests  were  shown, 
lighted  only  by  roimd  holes  in  the  doors,  were 
much  of  the  same  description  as  those  of  the  Mexi- 
can mesons  before  talked  of,  with  the  usual  com- 
forts of  a  ricketty  table  and  bench^  and  a  deal  or 
brick  platform  in  a  corner  for  a  bed.  ISTothing  else 
was  visible  that  could  add  to  the  attraction  of  these 
dens,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  lean  distracted 
rats,  trembling  about  in  the  greatest  excitement,  to 
know  what  the  intruders  were  uj)  to.  This  gave 
Bochsa  a  shock  of  nervous  uncertainty  as  to  the 
time  it  would  probably  take  to  make  the  place  in- 
habitable for  the  night.  But  even  while  he  pon- 
dered upon  this,  he  little  supposed  that  Anna  had 
already  given  her  orders  ;  and,  before  he  could  well 

turn  round,  the  two  coachmen  and  the  rest,  under 
14 


160  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

command  of  Don  Luis  Cortes,  having  lent  a  shonl- 
der  to  clear  the  vehicle  of  everything  needful  to 
general  comfort,  were  rushing  to  and  fro  with  in- 
credible swiftness,  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes  the 
four  rooms  selected  had,  each,  its  pleasurable  bed 
and  bedstead,  with  all  the  customary  necessities 
for  toilette;  while  to  that  of  Anna  was  further 
added  a  mirror,  a  carpet  and  two  chairs,  with  four 
whole  legs  apiece.  Cortes  hereupon  opened  a 
large  basket  containing  the  dinner  apparatus,  and 
with  the  scrambling  eagerness  of  a  spider  at  his 
weft,  spun  it  out  piece  by  piece  upon  the  table  in 
the  dining-room,  and  rubbing  his  hands  with  the 
greatest  glee,  desired  Anna  to  have  the  kindness 
just  to  come  and  look  at  it — that  was  all. 

Pending  these  manoeuvres,  Don  Julio  was  in  the 
court-yard,  engaged  in  peeling  potatoes,  tomatoes, 
and  onions,  and  Don  Marco  lighting  a  brisk  fire 
in  the  deserted  kitchen  of  the  fonda^^  to  enable 


*  Every  meson  has  its  fonda — or  restaurant — a  very  dirty, 
miserable,  starving-looking  concern,  usually  inhabited  by 
bugs,  and  one  or  two  old  witch-like  hags  for  cooks,  who, 
when  not  occupied  in  culinary  duties,  frequently  amuse  them- 
selves by  combing  each  other's  hair  ! — Ed. 


ANNA     IN    ]VIEXICO.  161 

»    Don  Luis  Cortes  to  compose  a  maccaroni  soup,  a 

i  dish  of  cutlets,  stewed  eels,  fried  eggs  and  ham, 
under  the  supervision  of  the  secretary,  and  in  strict 
accordance  with  the  bill  of  fare  which  Bochsa's 

•    appetite  had  inspired  him  to  suggest. 

i  Awaiting  dinner,  Anna  and  Bochsa  took  a  turn 
about  town ;  but  observing  nothing  in  the  silent 
and  dreary  streets  save  numerous  small  pigs,  about 
two  quarts  large,  ready  to  bm'st  wiih.  j)ulque^  they 
soon  returned  to  the  tneson^  and  there  sat  down 
to  a  perfect  banquet,  served  up  in  the  first  style 
by  Cortes,  assisted  by  the  other  Dons. 

But  the  busy  clatter  of  knives  and  forks  re- 
mained not  long  uninterrupted ;  for  the  sound  of 
approaching  wheels  without  started  Anna  and 
Bochsa  to  see  what  was  coming,  and  the  sight 
was  certainly  one  of  a  very  astonishing  natm'e — 
being  another  gigantic  vehicle,  of  the  melon  family, 
drawn  by  six  mules,  and  loaded  inside  with  an 
enormously  fat  priest,  and  on  top  and  all  ronnd  it, 
beds,  mattresses,  frying-pans,  gridirons,  coffee-pots, 
nameless  necessities  of  the  bed-chamber,  etc.,  etc. ; 
while  underneath  it,  discernible  through  the  inter- 
stices of  the  great  rope  net,  arms,  heads,  and  half 


162  ANNA     m     MEXICO. 

a  dozen  pretty  female  legs*  were  consj)icuous,  like 
so  many  innocent  ^alves  going  to  slangliter  in  a 
basket  —  and  whence  emerged,  at  halting,  three 
jjretty  senoritas^  of  the  souhrette  fashion,  which 
much  amazed  Bochsa!  Thereupon  followed  the 
padre  himself,  and,  after  him,  a  stately  yellow 
matron — probably  the  housekeeper  of  the  imdre — 
but  that  is  nobody  else's  business. 

The  jpadre  had  no  escort — as  ladrones  never 
attack  monks  or  friars — and  his  only  weapons  of 
defence  were  a  crucifix  and  several  wax  dolls, 
bound,  with  umbrellas,  all  in  a  bundle  together, 
which  were  taken  out  and  carried  carefully  and 
seriously  into  his  room.  For  the  onozo  had,  at 
first  sight  of  the  padre,  started  from  his  lethargic 
P'uro,  as  if  suddenly  galvanized,  and  kneeling  be- 
fore him,  had  j)resented  to  him  the  keys  of  all  the 
rooms  remaining  in  the  onesoii.  And  then,  it  being 
Friday,  a  large  fish-basket  was  taken  to  W^fonda 
by  two  of  the  padre's  j)retty  maids  (or  whatever 
they  were),  while  Bochsa  observed  to  Anna,  that 


*  The  reader  may  remember  that  the  Mexican  girls  wear 
no  stockings. — Ed. 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  163 

it  was  fortunate  that  their  dinner  was  cooked,  as, 
in  all  probability,  if  the  sacred  father,  seraglio  and 
company  had  arrived  an  hour  before,  they  would 
have  taken  possession  of  the  whole  kitchen,  in  the 
name  of  la  Santa  Trinidad^  and  Cortes  and  troupe 
have  been  ejected  bodily  from  the  premises. 

The  ])adre^  it  appears,  had  selected  his  room 
opposite  to  that  of  Anna,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
court-yard;  but  whether  by  chance,  or  intention- 
ally, nobody  could  discover.  And  what  was  still 
more  embarrassing,  the  doors  of  these  rooms  must, 
of  necessity,  have  been  kept  open,  or  Anna  could 
not  possibly  have  seen  to  turn  round,  much  less  to 
sew,  or  do  any  other  little  odd  thing  she  might 
deem  necessary.  So  that  everything  that  passed 
in  the  padre's  room  was  unavoidably  before  her 
very  eyes.  In  a  few  minutes,  two  of  the  girls 
went  in  and  made  the  friar's  bed,  the  third  arrang- 
ing the  wax  dolls  and  crucifix  nnder  the  open 
umbrellas,  in  a  very  imposing  manner ;  while  the 
stout  matron  kept  constantly  vibrating  between 
the  kitchen  and  the  friar's  room,  bringing  in  dishes 
of  sweetmeats,  and  seeming  altogether  to  be  very 

much  concerned  about  him. 
14* 


164  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

Towards  evening,  Don  Alvarado  having  inform- 
ed Boclisa  tliat  eleven  leagues  were  to  be  accom- 
plished  on  tlie  following  day,  it  was  thought  best 
to  make  some  preparations  for  going  to  bed.  The 
coach  was  therefore  rolled  under  the  arcades  that 
surrounded  the  court-yard,  where  Don  Pepe  sta- 
tioned two  armed  men,  to  guard  it  from  being 
secretly  j)urloined,  while  Don  Mariano  laid  himself 
down  between  the  wheels,  under  cover  of  his  sad- 
dle and  serape.  The  other  Dons  likewise  slept  "  al 
fresco^''  not  far  off,  and  Don  Luis  Cortes,  after  care- 
fully putting  away  his  jaqueta  and  fine  leghorn, 
stretched  himself  out,  by  special  permission  of 
Bochsa,  on  the  threshold  of  Anna's  door,  smothered 
up,  together  with  his  cavalry  sword,  in  his  ample 
serape^  with  his  saddle  for  a  ^Dillow. 

What  happened  during  that  night  is  not  recorded 
in  Anna's  notes.  The  next  morning,  before  the 
hour  of  six,  coffee  and  chocolate  having  been  served, 
the  carriage  was  again  cargoed  with  extraordinary 
care,  dexterity  and  dispatch,  and  the  bills  being 
paid,  and  a  trifle  thrown  in  for  the  use  of  the 
kitchen,  the  chair  was  placed,  and  all  were  ready 
for  departure — though  not  without  a  parting  glance 


AJSfNA     IN    MEXICO.  165 

from  Anna  towards  the  friar's  room,  in  M-hicli  wax 
candles  had  been  bm'niug  all  night,  in  honor  of  the 
wax  dolls  under  the  umbrellas.  The  imvtj  then 
made  their  ascent  into  the  vehicle,  and,  a  moment 
after,  it  thundered  from  the  court-yard,  Don  Fej^e 
Silva  and  his  troop  saluting  them  in  ordre  de  ha- 
taille  at  the  gate,  with  great  dignity,  and  away 
went  the  entire  retinue,  leaving  the  smoking  mozo 
— who  had  been  standing  at  the  door  to  ascertain 
if  any  tables  or  portions  of  the  building  had  not 
been  smuggled  off  among  the  smaller  luggage — 
glaring  vaguely  after  them  until  they  were  out  of 
sight ! 

The  mesons  incidental  to  the  rest  of  the  journey, 
as  far  as  Queretaro^  differed  but  little  from  the 
one  our  travellers  had  left,  there  being  a  manner- 
ism about  them  that  argued  their  being  built  by 
the  same  architect — though  assuredly  not  a  Trim- 
ble. The  roads  continued  to  be  execrable,  the 
fmidas  filthy,  and  not  unlike  that  mentioned  by 
Gil  Blas^  in  so  far  as  everything  could  be  had 
there  on  inquiry,  although,  when  anything  was 
wanted,  nothing  could  be  found.  And,  notwith- 
standing  Bochsa  had   learned,   to   his   great   dis- 


166  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

comfort,  that,  in  St.  Juan  del  Rio^  (where  they 
stopped  on  the  fourth  night,)  there  lived  a  certain 
gentleman  of  -fortune,  having  in  his  pay  a  strong 
party  of  highwaymen,  of  which  he  was  the 
chief,  frequently  robbing  and  mm-dering  travel- 
lers in  the  wood  immediately  beyond — as  sundry 
crosses  and  bloody  poles,  with  bunches  of  human 
hair  and  garments  stuck  on  them,  most  frightfully 
attested — and  although  they  positively  saw  an 
alcalde^  with  two  men,  bearing  on  a  jjlank  the 
body  of  another  man,  who  had  been  assassinated 
the  very  night  before — still  Anna's  honne  etoile 
shone,  guardian-like,  above  her,  and  not  even  the 
romance  of  an  attack,  as  yet^  occurred  to  interrupt 
the  monotony  of  the  route.  This  season  of  peace, 
however,  did  not  prevent  Cortes  from  preparing 
for  war ;  and  he  was  observed  even  to  tie  his 
black  ribbon  a  little  tighter  under  the  chin,  and 
secretly  add  to  his  already  warlike  array  of  arms 
an  immense  carving-fork ;  while  Don  Pepe  Silva 
and  his  men  fiercely  cocked  their  pistols  and 
carabines,  and  in  this  wide-awake  manner,  entered 
very  safely  and  quietly  the  city  of  Quereta/ro^  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  2d  of  October. 


QUERETARO. 

Don  Alvarado,  tlie  cuchiero  maggiore,  having  many 
times  before  visited  the  city  of  Queretaro,  contlucted 
at  once  our  artists,  and  their  retinue,  to  the  best  meson 
of  the  place,  which,  certainly,  was  much  better  ap- 
pointed than  any  they  had  met  on  the  road. 

Instead  of  the  whole  of  the  bed-rooms  being  on  the 
ground-floor,  as  usual,  the  best  of  them  Avere  situated 
on  the  first  floor ;  the  tables  and  chairs  had  their  full 
complement  of  feet,  which  did  not  want  to  be  propped 
by  a  ^tone  or  two,  to  make  them  steady ;  and  even 
i\iQfonda  attached  to  the  establishment  seemed  to  be 
well  provided,  as  it  sent  forth,  wdien  our  artists 
alighted  in  the  court-yard,  at  the  dinner  hour,  such 
savoury  exhalations,  as  to  promise  a  rather  succulent 
meal.  The  entire  first  floor,  consisting  of  seven  or 
eight  rooms,  was  taken  by  our  party.  Madame  Anna 
had  a  most  comfortable  bed-room,  and  also  a  little 
boudoir,  with  two  windows,  garnished  with  panes 
of  glass,  which  was  considered  to  be  a  matter  of  no 

{ 167 ) 


168  Ai4JStA     m     MEXICO. 

small  consequence.  Don  Pepe  and  his  men  were 
favored  with  a  front  room,  and  the  Dons  Alvarado 
and  Mariano  installed  in  a  corner  one.  The 
Secretary  had,  likewise,  a  very  pleasant  quarter 
of  it,  and  Anna's  maid — whom,  by  the  way,  I 
had  nearly  forgotten  to  mention  at  all — in  a  nice 
little  box,  all  by  herself,  to  keep  in  order  the  rich 
and  costly  costumes  of  the  dashing  cantat^'ice. 
This  general  distribution  and  arrangement,  Bochsa 
thought  would  do  very  well,  even  for  the  space  of 
two  or  three  weeks,  to  which  extent  Anna  had 
2)urposed  making  her  sojourn  in  Queretaro. 

The  city  of  Queretaro  is  well  built — none  more 
so  in  the  republic — and  is  esj^ecially  famous  for 
its  bigotry  ;  monks,  friars,  and,  above  all,  Jesuits, 
being  as  plentiful  as  tortillas  and  frijoles.  The 
Secretary,  who  was  of  an  exploring  mind,  had 
been  sent  out  on  arrival  for  the  purj)ose  of  report- 
ing something  as  to  the  character  of  the  place; 
and  on  his  return  in  the  evening,  gave  notice  that 
the  people  were  singularly  desj^erate  in  their 
anxiety  to  hear  the  renowned  cantatrice^  but  that 
the  Jesuits  would  n't  hear  of  it,  and  woidd  be 
very  likely  to  rise  en  masse  in  opposition  to  any 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  169 

Btrangers  taking  the  public  money,  which  they 
considered  was  exclusively  their  own !  Bochsa 
was  startled — but  was  further  informed  by  the 
Secretary  that  ho  had  made  some  friends  at  the 
Apothecary's  shop,  and  he  thought  all  would  be 
right — ^which  appeased  Bochsa  materially,  though 
he  still  wondered  what  the  Apothecary's  shop 
had  -to  do  with  Anna's  performances,  further  than 
the  administering  cough  potions,  or  the  possibility 
of  some  of  the  dilettanti  being  sick  and  requiring 
strengthening  plasters  to  get  to  the  theatre.  To 
this  the  Secretary  replied,  that,  in  almost  every 
city  of  Mexico  there  was  a  particular  apothecary's 
shop  which  was  the  favom'ite  lounge,  above  all 
other  apothecaries'  shops,  of  the  fashionables,  and 
where  the  events  of  the  day  were  discussed  and 
smoked  over,  as  in  the  cafes  of  France,  and  that 
Madame  Anna  and  el  caballero  Bochsa  could  not 
do  better  than  drop  in  there  some  morning  by 
way  of  refreshing  themselves  in  their  walks. 
Bochsa  was  on  the  point  of  asking  what  sort  of 
refreshments  a  man  might  expect  to  find  there — 
but  his  feelings  would  not  permit  him,  and  he 
turned  the  subject,  and,  with  his  peculiar  Louis 


170  ANNA     IN     JMEXICO. 

Philippic  smile,  said  lie  would  take  his  dear  pupil 
there  with  the  greatest  imaginable  pleasure. 

Of  course  Anna  was  much  fatigued  after  five 
days'  hard  travelling,  and  went  to  bed  very  early ; 
while  Bochsa  and  Secretary  proceeded  at  once  to 
the  theatre  (now  open  with  a  Spanish  company) 
to  see  the  '■'' author^''  with  whom  he  had  been  in 
correspondence.  That  the  theatre  had  been  a  cock- 
pit was  already  well  known  to  l^ochsa,  though  it 
was  now  made  into  a  kind  of  circus,  with  three 
tiers  of  stone  benches  all  round,  with  the  exception 
of  a  small  space  where  the  stage  was  erected.  In 
the  arena,  or  pit,  there  was  a  fair  number  of  stalls, 
and  at  the  back,  fronting  the  stage,  were  a  few 
wooden  boxes,  perched  up  over  the  stone  benches, 
the  only  access  to  them  being  wretched  ricketty  lad- 
ders, j)laced  outside,  in  full  view  of  all  the  sur- 
rounding houses,  which  shocked  Bochsa  much, 
when  he  reflected  that  the  pit  entrance  was  right 
under  the  ladders,  and  that  Mexican  ladies  wore 
no  stockings ! 

At  the  entrance  of  the  pit,  which  was  shut  in  by 
a  very  filthy,  torn,  patched  curtain,  stood  a  sort  of 
restaurant,  alfresco^  where  tortiUas^frijoles^  onions 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO,  171 

and  fowls  were  cooked  and  served  up  hot.  These 
dainties,  of  course,  exhaled  their  savory  effluvia  in 
one  combined,  unwritten  smell,  all  over  the  house ; 
and  it  was  no  matter  of  surprise  to  Bochsa  to  see 
the  spectators  dropping  out,  one  by  one,  during  the 
performance,  and  applying  themselves  to  the  sub- 
stantial in  preference  to  the  intellectual,  especially 
where  the  appetite  was  so  continually  played  upon 
by  the  fiction  of  such  odors.  He  visioned,  how- 
ever, the  feelings  of  Anna,  if,  during  one  of  her 
delicious  sotto  voce  cadenzas^  she  should  happen  to 
hear  the  sizzling  of  a  frying-pan ! — or  the  last  gasp 
of  a  fresh-killed  chicken !  /ODios!  Bochsa  went 
in  to  look  at  the  house.     Besides,  it  rained. 

But  Bochsa  was  no  sooner  in  the  house  than,  on 
looking  up,  a  series  of  water-drops  assailed  his  nose, 
descending  from  an  aperture  in  the  roof.  He 
therefore  moved  quietly  on,  towards  the  stage. 
Here  he  was  much  amazed  by  the  conduct  of  the 
prompter,  who  had  a  high,  sharp,  falsetto  voice, 
like  a  ventriloquist,  which  talked  very  fast,  with- 
out stopping  or  paying  the  slighest  attention  to  the 
actors,  or  having  the  most  remote  bearing  on  tlie 

scene  they  were  engaged  in.     Their  endeavors  to 
15 


172  iLNNA     IN     MEXICO. 

keep  lip  the  race  with  him  were  preposterous  ;  and 
the  result  was  that,  before  the  act  was  half  through, 
the  prompter  had  won  it,  and  was  eating  tortillas 
and  supposed  to  be  going  on  with  the  next.  The 
"  author"  was  an  excellent  actor,  himself;  and  his 
pretty  wife,  a  perfect  love — so  Bochsa  said,  when 
he  came  home. 

The  next  day  Anna  received  visitors.  Thej  were 
very  numerous,  and  among  the  most  interesting 
were  several  English  ladies,  living  at  a  cotton-mill, 
about  two  miles  distant  from  the  city.  Through- 
out her  whole  tour,  Anna  had  not  felt  so  delighted. 
The  meeting  of  her  own  countrywomen  in  another 
hemisphere — and  in  such  a  portion  of  it — and  so 
unexpectedly  too,  was  such  a  moment  of  rapture  to 
her,  that  she  could  only  welcome  them  as  sisters, 
long  parted  from,  for  she  heard  in  their  voices  the 
voice  of  her  dear  old  England,  that  happy  home 
she  had  once  so  deeply  loved,  and  now  by  absence 
rendered  still  more  sweet  to  her — till  the  tears  filled 
her  beaming  eyes,  and  Bochsa,  for  some  cause  un- 
known,  left  the  room. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  Anna,  hearing  that 
Mr,  Herz,  the  pianist,  was  in  the  city,  and  desirous 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  173 

of  giving  two  more  concerts  there,  retarded  her 
own  performances  for  a  few  days,  that  it  might  not 
disturb  or  interfere  with  him — an  example  of  affa- 
bility and  liberal  spirit  which  I  take  to  be  enchant- 
ing, amid  the  gross  selfishness  which  actuates  the 
_inass  of  our  public  professionals,  and  which  recalls 
to  me  one  of  the  most  disgusting  instances  of — but 
no  matter. 

Anna  wanted  to  go  out  shopping.  Bochsa  said 
the  pavements  were  as  sharp  as  pins !  Then  Anna 
would  take  a  carriage.  Bochsa  sent  immediately 
out,  but  no  carriage  was  to  be  had. 

"  Good  gracious ! "  said  Anna,  "  then  what  's  to 
be  done?" 

"  Quim  sdbe^  my  dear  ? "  said  Bochsa,  spreadiiig 
out  both  hands  in  despair ;  and  then  gazed  in  the 
most  profound  astonishment  at  Anna,  who  had  sud- 
denly burst  into  an  outrageous  fit  of  merriment, 
and  whirling  round,  screamed  out  for  Don  Alva- 
rado,  and  ordered  him  to  harness  up  the  family 
melon  immediately ! 

When  Bochsa  recovered  himself,  he  endeavored 
to  dissuade  Anna  from  this  insane  proposition  in  a 
strange  city ;  but  she  laughed  him  out  of  his  non- 
sense in  half  a  minute,  and,  in  less  than  fifteen 


174  -  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

more,  the  vehicle  had  been  excavated  from  the 
dust  tliat  covered  it,  and  attached  to  six  of  the 
sleekest  mules,  and  was  standing  at  the  door  for 
a  fashionable  drive  round  town.  And,  as  Bochsa 
looked  out  at  it — while  Anna  put  on  her  bonnet — 
it  needed  but  little  philosophy  to  teach  him  that 
nothing  in  the  world  could  be  better  than  such  an 
unnatural  curiosity,  moving  through  the  streets,  to 
serve  as  an  advertisement  and  create  a  general 
sensation,  especially  as  Barnum  was  out  of  the 
way  and  there  was  no  fear  of  opposition ;  and  then 
he  began  to  think  very  highly  of  the  project,  and 
even  smiled.  He  then  straightway  summoned  Cap- 
tain Pepe  Silva,  and  requested  him  to  don  his  best 
Mexican  uniform,  crosses  and  all,  and  accompany 
the  concern  with  four  of  his  finest  men,  while  Don 
Luis  Cortes  was  ordered  to  stand  bolt  upright  and 
firm  (if  possible)  on  the  great  platform  behind,  and 
to  take  charge  of  the  chair. 

Anna  enjoyed  the  victory  of  her  freak  to  the 
utmost;  and  Bochsa  positively  laughed,  too,  as 
they  entered  the  machine  together. 

"  Vamos  /  "  said  Bochsa.  But  the  thing  did  n't 
move. 

'■^  Vavtos  /^^  repeated  Bochsa,  looking  out.     But 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  175 

he  only  perceived  that  Don  Alvarado  and  his  aid, 
Don  Mariano,  were  furiously  flourishing  their 
whips  and  digging  their  enormous  Quixotean  spurs 
into  the  bowels  of  the  mules,  to  no  purpose  what- 
ever ;  foi"  the  beasts  would  n't  stir  a  peg ! 

"  Yamos  !  "  shouted  Bochsa,  getting  red  and  hot ; 
but  it  was  not  of  the  slightest  use. 

"  Caramba  !  "  swore  Don  Alvarado,  for  about  ten 
minutes — and  then  had  a  sudden  thought.  He  saw 
precisely  how  it  was.  Mules  would  n't  take  airings 
without  the  rest  of  their  fellows ! — and  he  told 
Bochsa  so ;  at  which  Bochsa  ordered  the  other  six 
to  be  instantly  brought.  They  were  brought,  and 
harnessed  to  the  rest. 

"  Now  then,  vamos ! "  ventured  Bochsa  once 
more ;  and,  much  to  his  amaze  and  great  glee, 
they  all  trotted  off  together  in  the  most  friendly 
and  frisky  manner. 

Yerily,  it  was  high  time  they  were  gone — for 
already  had  the  spectacle  amassed  a  large  popu- 
lace, whose  intensity  of  vision  must  have  blinded 
them  to  any  peril  they  might  stand  in  the  way  of. 

The  scene  of  animation  that  followed,   as  they 

passed    through    the    streets,    was    indescribable. 
15* 


176  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

Windows  were  crammed  with  faces,  shop-clerks 
darted  to  the  doors,  people  dived  from  the  churches, 
sentinels  shot  from  their  posts,  stray  mules  and 
donkeys  made  like  mad  round  corners,  some  dash- 
ing into  shop-windows  and  others  into  convents, 
and  altogether  the  confusion,  wildness  and  uni- 
versal dismay  were  beyond  limit.  And  though  the 
colossal  Bochsa  and  the  interesting  comtatrice  "^\re 
found  by  the  shopkeepers  to  be  perfectly  t©me, 
they  produced  a  decided  impression,  which,  to  this^ 
day,  has  remained  indelible. 

"Admirable,  for  a  first  go  ofi"!"  said  Anna. 

"  I  think  it  will  do,"  replied  "Bochsa. 


In  the  contract  between  Bochsa  and  the  lessee 
of  the  theatre,  Don  Abadon,  it  vas  provided,  that 
not  only  the  Spanish  comjjany  shoi^d  perfoim  two 
pieces  every  night  between  Anna's  draraatic  scenas, 
but  further  specified  that  twenty  Spanish  comedies 
should  be  sent  to  Bochsa  to  read^  (ha !  ha !)  in  order 
that  he  might  make  his  own  selection! — and  that 
the  '■'•  author''''  would,  moreover,  hold  on  to  his 
rights,  to  fry  tortillas  and  things  at  the  restaurant 


ANNA    m     MEXICO.  177 

«  at  the  entrance  of  the  pit,  this  being  a  speculation 
i  which  he  himself  had  originated,  kept  u-p  and 
determined  to  stick  to  at  all  hazards.  Bochsa  did 
not  much  relish  that  clause;  he  considered  the 
thing  very  undignified,  and  the  effluvia  singularly 
I  offensive,  to  say  nothing  of  the  melancholy  idea, 
that  Anna's  voice  was  not  sufficiently  sweet  with- 
out pancake  accompaniments  on  a  griddle.  He, 
nevertheless,  yielded,  to  avoid  quarrelling  with  the 
author-actor-eating-house  man,  whom  he  subse- 
quently found  to  be  a  jiersonage  of  some  import- 
ance in  the  place,  and  at  the  head  of  an  enterprise 
for  carrying  the  entire  company  on  mules  from 
town  to  town,  whenever,  "  by  special  public  de- 
sire," they  thought  fit  to  go. 

The  orchestra  was  not  elaborate — consisting  alto- 
gether of  a  ^  piano  lent  to,  and  to  be  played  by, 
Bochsa,  and  a  double-stringed  quartette,  without  a 
violoncello — technically,  and  very  aptly,  called  a 
"cell."  There  were  to  be  no  interludes  on  the 
harp,  as  Bochsa's  "  old  lady"  had  been  obliged,  at 
Mexico,  to  give  place  on  the  carriage  to  beds  and 
gridirons,  and  it  was  not  probable  she  could  arrive 
by  mules  in  time  for  the  concerts. 

8* 


178  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

Arrangements  being  thus  far  completed,  Bochsa 
thought  he  Avould  enquire  into  the  state  of  the 
Press — ^which  was  always  a  point  of  moment  with 
him,  so  proud  is  he  of  his  charming  pupil  and  so 
happy  when  she  is  justly  appreciated.  Who  can 
blame  him?  The  Press  of  Queretaro^  then,  was 
discovered  to  be  limited  to  two  little  weekly  papers 
— the  one  in  the  pay  of  the  Jesuits^  and  therefore 
very  indifferent  to  the  fine  arts ;  and  the  other,  El 
Federalisto^  edited  by  a  Dr.  Bustamente,  physician, 
who  was  equally  pointed,  penetrating  and  proficient 
with  the  lancet  and  the  pen.  This  was  some  satis- 
faction; and  the  cantatrice  was  pompously  an- 
nounced therein — albeit  the  great  main  design  of 
the  paper  was  that  of  a  medium  for  one  continuous, 
withering  philippic  against  the  Jesuits.* 


I  shall  not  pause  to  dwell  upon  the  reception  of 
Anna  at  Quereta/ro^  or  the  immense  satisfaction  of 


*  The  power  and  influence  of  the  Jesuits  have  since  greatly- 
increased  at  Qnerctaro,  and  El  Federalisto  has  been  stopped, 
and  the  Dr.  Bustamente  injected  into  prison.  Great  Republic, 
that !— Ed. 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  179 

i  the  deliglited  Bochsa.  With  a  single  roulade 
i  she  carried  the  whole  place,  as  with  a  whirlwind. 
And  the  Jesuits  owe  her  a  grudge,  until  this  day, 
for  temporarily  throwing  the  city  into  a  complete 
obliviousness  even  of  their  existence.  On  her  bene- 
,  fit  night,  at  the  close  of  the  mad  scene  in  "  Luda^^ 
la^rima  amorosa  and  el  golem  of  the  Spanish  com- 
pany came  forward  upon  the  stage,  and,  after  recit- 
ing some  verses,  written  for  the  occasion  by  Dr. 
Bustamente,  placed  on  the  head  of  the  cantatrice  a 
magnificent  crown,  profusely  ornamented  with  gold 
ounces  and  piastres,  the  whole  affair  worth  upwards 
of  five  hundred  dollars.  This  superb  cadeau  had 
been  voted  to  Anna  by  the  principal  merchants  of 
Queretaro^  and  the  famous  apothecary's  shoj)  had 
been  the  place  where  it  was  all  planned;  and 
thither  went  Bochsa,  the  following  day,  and  bought 
a  large  supply  of  sbda  powders. 

Meanwhile,  several  musical  amateurs  of  the  little 
to^vii  of  Ceilaya  (about  thirty-three  miles  from  Que- 
retaro\  who  had  come  that  distance  to  hear  Anna 
sing,  entreated  the  artistes  to  give  one  or  two  con- 
certs at  that  place,  it  being  on  their  route  to  Leon^ 
where  tliey  were  expected  next  to  proceed.     The 


180  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

expenses,  they  said,  would  be  paid  by  the  town,  in 
addition  to  a  sum  fixed  by  Anna ;  and  the  matter 
was  settled  at  once. 


AMUSEMENTS   AT    QUEEETAKO, 
AND  DEPARTUKE  THEREFROM. 

Anna  had  now  given  five  dramatic  concerts  and 
had  fixed  upon  a  sixth,  when  Bochsa  discovered 
that  the  thing  was  impossible,  owing  to  a  strong 
opposition,  in  the  shape  of  a  grand  religious  cere- 
mony— the  veil-taking  of  a  rich  young  senorita^  on 
which  occasion  gorgeous  displays  of  firew^orks,  brass 
bands  in  the  streets,  banquets  everywhere  and  illu- 
minations all  over  the  town,  were  to  proclaim  the 
future  Hija  de  Dios^  who  devoted  the  entire  bulk 
of  her  fortune  to  the  cause  of  1>he  Jesuits.  All  was, 
in  consequence,  bustle  and  turmoil  throughout  the 
city;  and  Bochsa,  passing  near  the  convent  in  the 
morning,  saw,  in  the  vestibule  of  the  church,  men 
engaged  in  dressing  up  tall  wax  saints  and  ma- 
donnas, with  astonished  eyes,  in  the  most  superb 
fashion.  The  saints  and  madonnas  consisted  of 
wooden  poles,  with  cross-pieces  and  heads  on  top, 


182  ANNA     m    MEXICO. 

some  with  curled  auburn  hair,  and  others  with 
fierce  black  beards,  looking  exceedingly  murder- 
ous. Some  were  surmounted  with  costly  jewelled 
crowns ;  and  a  few,  supposed  to  be  females,  stood 
about  in  corners,  like  mops,  waiting  to  be  dressed. 
The  arms  and  hands  were  stitched  to  the  sleeves, 
the  length  of  the  robes  rendering  mmecessarj  the 
expense  of  legs,  feet  and  shoes.  That  this  highly 
respectable  company  were  to  assist  at  the  cere- 
mony, there  was  no  doubt ;  but  in  what  capacity 
Bochsa  could  not  determine.  On  going  home, 
therefore,  he  merely  related  to  Aima  what  he  had 
seen,  and  the  conclusion  come  to  was,  that  the 
difference  was  certainly  very  great  between  the 
dressing  of  3£adonnas  and  Prima  Donnas^  or 
"sticks"  of  tenori — which  latter  appellation  had, 
possibly,  some  hidden  reference  to  a  celebrated 
continental  tenor^  who  insisted  upon  being  sewn 
up  in  his  leggings  CA^ery  evening,  after  the  fashion 
of  rag-babies,  being  anxious  to  have  a  good  and 
tight  fit. 

Professional  business,  then,  being  at  an  end, 
Anna  devoted  a  couple  of  days,  previous  to  her 
departure  for  Ceilaya^  to  leave-taking  of  her  nume- 


ANNA    W    MEXICO.  183 

roTis  friends,  witli  tlie  family  melon  harnessed  up 
for  the  purj)ose.  Her  first  visit  was  to  the  wife  of 
the  Governor  of  the  State — a  very  charming  lady, 
by  the  way,  educated  in  the  City  of  Mexico,  never 
having  visited  Europe,  but  pof^sessed  of  the  most 
finished,  foreign  and  delightful  manners,  and  un- 
barbarized  by  the  custom  of  sitting  at  home  un- 
dressed nine  parts  of  the  day.  Her  residence  was 
— as  the  private  dwellings  mostly  are,  in  Queretaro 
■ — of  one  story  in  height,  but  furnished  with  exqui- 
site taste.  Tlie  parlors,  sitting  rooms  and  bed 
chambers  were,  as  usual,  on  the  ground  floor; 
and  the  passages  to  the  diiferent  apartments  were 
-crowded  with  rarest  flowers,  as  also  the  con- 
servatory in  the  little  square,  in  the  hall,  the  whole 
embalming  the  air  with  perfumes  of  the  sweetest 
and  most  delicious  breath. 

In  this  instance,  the  customary  '•'-  dla  disposicion 
de  usted''''  grew  to  be  almost  embarrassing.  For, 
"while  its  sincerity  was  proved  by  numerous  beau- 
tiful presents  to  Anna,  she  could  not  have  avoided 
continuing  her  expressions  of  admiration  at  every 
thing  she  saw,  if  she  had  died  for  it.     And,  finally, 

the  charming  Senora  Berdusco,  showing  Anna  into 
16 


184  ANNA    EST 'MEXICO. 

two  deliglitfully  furnished  rooms,  said  with  infinite 
grace,  and  calling  her  '-'•Linda  Anna'''' — that  they 
were  quite  at  her  disposal  when  she  passed  again  • 
through  Queretaro,  on  her  way  to  Mexico. 

Anna  then  paid  a  visit  to  the  Prefect  of  the 
city,  who,  with  his  lovely  daughters,  had  also  been 
excessively  polite — and  found  the  main  peculiarity 
of  that  gentleman's  residence  to  consist  in  a  sort  of 
narrow  passage,  just  within  the  'jporte  cocliere., 
where  were  ranged  neat  sofas,  tables  and  chairs, 
and  where  the  Prefect  and  his  family  were  accus- 
tomed to  receive  all  their  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances. Thence,  taking  a  turn,  simply  leaving 
cards  with  the  rest,  not  forgetting  to  call  at  the 
amiable  apothecary's — Anna  stopped,  before  re- 
turning home,  and  alighted  near  the  market-jDlace, 
taking  a  stroll  among  the  little  shops  and  pedlars' 
carts,  making  sundry  purchases  of  lilliputian  jugs, 
tea-cups  and  dolls — not  madonnas — the  grandiose 
Norma  being  much  addicted  to  such  simplicity  of 
resource  for  amusement  on  holiday  afternoons. 
To  be  sure,  she  was  not  a  little  startled  at  receiv- 
ing, in  change  for  ker  money,  various  pieces  of 
soap^  instead  of  coppers — and  looked  at  Boclisa, 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  185 

who  was  equally  sm'prised  at  the  facetioiisness  of 
the  joke — though  he  did  n't  see  the  necessity  of 
carrying  it  on  to  any  extreme  length  of  time.  He 
therefore  endeavored  to  explain  that  they  wanted 
change — not  soajp  ! — when  he  was  informed  with 
great  seriousness  that  soap  was  cm-rent  money  in 
that  part  of  the  Kepublic  ;  whereat,  it  instantly  oc- 
curred to  him  that  the  phrase,  "  How  are  you  off 
for  soap  ? " — introduced  into  the  United  States  by 
the  returned  Mexican  volunteers,  had  really  some 
pith  and  meaning  in  it.  They  were  both,  how- 
ever, still  incredulous,  when  Anna,  perceiving  a 
dear  little  earthen  cow,  and  a  love  of  a  little  milk- 
pot,  at  a  shilling  a-piece,  tendered,  with  some  du- 
biousness of  aspect,  four. pieces  of  soap  to  the  ven- 
der, and  which  he  pocketed  with  the  utmost  dry- 
ness and  sonig  froid  ! 

"  How  very  odd  ! "  said  Anna. 

"  Yery  funny !  "  said  Bochsa  —  and  they  de- 
parted. 

Hard  by,  stood  the  convent  of  San  Francisco  ; 
and,  as  it  was  the  eve  of  the  fete-dsij  of  that  very 
reverend  personage,  multitudes  were  seen  entering 
the  spacious  gate,  attracted  by  Indians  standing  on 


186  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

either  side  of  the  porch,  playing  music  of  a  very 
savage  nature  on  little  uncouth  flageolets,  with  obli- 
gato  accompaniment  on  drums  about  the  size  of 
fig-boxes.  Anna  took  Bochsa  into  the  church, 
where  they  found  themselves  surrounded  by  gar- 
lands, festoons,  costly  red  and  blue  cloth,  big  wax 
candles,  showers  of  flags,  magnificently  attired 
dolls,  and  crowds  of  leperos  on  their  knees,  or 
rather  sitting  on  their  calves  ;  and  Bochsa,  observ- 
ing that  all  eyes  were  immediately  turned  from  the 
Santa  MaHa  to  the  cantatrice^  and  holding  all 
dramatic  exhibitions  in  some  reverence,  made  some 
remark  to  that  eifect,  at  which  Anna  took  him  out 
again. 

On  their  arrival  home,  Anna  abru^^tly  paused  at 
the  threshold  of  the  open  door,  to  look  in  and  see 
what  on  earth  Cortes  was  about ! — for,  instead  of 
cooking  the  dinner,  the  man  was  intently  occupied 
in  ironing  one  of  her  dresses.  Holding  Bochsa 
back,  to  watch  the  sequel  of  this  business,  she  next 
saw  the  versatile  Cortes  twitch  up  a  i:)air  of  lace 
ruffles  and  plait  them  with  the  utmost  delicacy  of 
touch  and  taste,  and  then  assiduously  j^repare  him- 
self to  w^ash  out  the  hertJie  of  Linda  di  Chamminiy 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  187 

when  a  shriek  of  laughter  from  Anna  caused  the 
poor  fellow  to  jump  as  if  shot,  tip  over  the  flat- 
iron,  and  stand  aghast  and  petrified.  The  truth 
was,  Francisca,  the  maid,  had  been  out  all  the 
morning,  and  Cortes,  possessing  prominently  the 
bump  of  millineiy,  was  unable  to  resist  the  im- 
pulse of  his  genius.  He  was  highlj  complimented 
by  Anna,  and  Bochsa  thought  him  a  very  clever 
chap,  and  Cortes'  face  spread  into  a  breadth  of 
grin  which  lasted  seven  minutes  and  forty  seconds 
by  the  town  clock. 

And  a  busy  and  exciting  time  of  it  Anna  and 
Bochsa  had  the  following  day — the  last  at  Qiiere- 
taro — to  say  nothing  of  the  clearing  out  of  the 
furniture  and  reloading  of  the  family  melon. 
There  were  likewise  other  considerations  of  the 
greatest  moment  to  be  dwelt  upon  ;  for  it  so 
chanced  that  the  road  from  Qucretaro  to  Ce'daya 
enjoyed  a  reputation  which,  to  Bochsa,  was  con- 
siderably heightened  by  Don  Pepe  Silva,  who 
related  to  him  the  vivid  adventure  hereunto  sub- 
joined. 

It  appeared  that,  within  that  ver}^  week,  two 

clerks    belonging    to    a    branch  of  the  diligencia 
IG* 


188  AJSTNA     IN     MEXICO. 

administration,  and  residing  at  some  distance 
from  Queretaro,  were  in  tlie  liabit  of  coming, 
every  six  months,  to  that  citj,  to  pay  over  to 
the  head  of  that  department  the  sum  of  about 
six  hundred  dollars.  They  had  of  late  been 
warned,  by  anonymous  communications,  against 
the  risk  of  carrying  such  amounts  with  them, 
and  advised  to  procm-e  drafts  on  the  city  bank. 
One  did  so.  The  other,  unmindful  of  the  warning, 
put  his  three  hundred  dollars  snugly  in  his  trunk, 
being  fat,  lazy  and  unsuspicious  of  any  evil  result. 
On  their  way,  however,  and  just  at  that  portion  of 
the  road  where  thick  bushes  and  clumps  of  ma- 
gueys  and  other  trees  afforded  very  secure  ambush, 
they  found  the  coach  waylaid  by  three  mounted 
horsemen,  who  had  darted  out  from  some  unknown 
premises,  the  first  very  politely  levelling  his  cara- 
bine at  the  driver,  as  a  signal  to  halt,  which  was 
promptly  obeyed.  A  second  then  approached  the 
diligeiicia^  and,  with  the  utmost  courtesy,  gently 
opened  the  door,  bowed,  greeted  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  inside,  and  prayed  of  them  not  to  de- 
range themselves  or  be  in  the  least  alarmed.  He 
should  be  very  sorry  to  inconvenience  them,  simply 


I 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  189 

begging  that  "  the  fat  caballero^  there,  in  the  left 
corner,  would  do  him  the  favor  to  open  his  black 
trunk,  and  have  the  kindness  to  bestow  upon  him 
the  three  hundred  piastres  which  he  had  placed  in 
the  folds  of  his  serajye^  quite  at  the  bottom  of  the 
said  trunk ! " 

Tlie  fat  caballero^  equally  astonished  and  appalled, 
scarce  knew  whether  to  obey  the  summons  or  not, 
until  the  stranger  added,  with  a  bland  but  signifi- 
cant smile,  that  he  was  somewhat  pressed  for  time, 
and  then  turned  to  an  agreeable  chat  with  the 
other  passengers,  exclaiming  at  the  fresh  beauty  of 
the  morning,  asking  the  news  from  the  city,  and 
begging  the  further  favor  of  a  match  to  light  his 
cigar  with.  By  this  time,  the  fat  clerk,  who  had 
beeii  missed  from  the  coach,  returned  to  his  place, 
and  deposited  in  the  hands  of  the  ladrone  the  sum 
requested  ;  at  which  the  latter,  after  counting  it, 
smiled  his  approval,  delayed  a  moment  longer  to 
remark  on  the  beauties  of  nature  and  the  surround- 
ing country,  and,  with  a  graceful  adieu,  joined  his 
companions,  still  exclaiming,  as  they  made  off, 
"  Uermosa  tierra  !  "  —  "  Natura  helVisima  !  "  — 
."^«  /  Jia  !  lia  !    A  Dios  !  "—and  Don  Pepe  Silva 


190  ANNA    IN    aiEXICO. 

could  liai'dly  finish  tho  narrative,  so  choked  was 
he  with  laughter. 

Whether  Bochsa"  thought  this  a  joke  to  be  laugh- 
ed at  or  not,  he  at  all  events  responded,  with  an 
appearance  of  extravagant  mirth. 

"  /S'i,  SI !  Ha !  ha !  Natura  helUs-si-i-ma  I  Ha ! 
ha  !  Pan  I  pan  !  pan  !  encore  !  "  —  after  the 
style  of  the  memorable  Count  de  la  Claque,  and 
doubtless  with  equal  sincerity.  For,  in  half  an 
horn*  afterwards,  his  face  had  assumed  an  exj^res- 
sion  of  meditative  depth,  from  which  rose  a  secret 
plot  to  take  the  gold  ounces  out  of  Anna's  croAvn, 
and  to  practise  a  ruse  de  guerre  by  sending  his 
secretary,  forth  accompanied  by  armed  men,  to 
parade  through  the  town  with  sacks  full  of  money, 
and  to  enter  Anna's  banker's,  and  to  be  seen  imme- 
diately afterwards  with  empty  bags ! 

Meanwhile,  the  Prefect  and  military  Governor 
complaisantly  made  offer  of  a  police  escort  to 
accompany  Anna,  together  with  her  o^\m,  a  few 
miles  out  of  the  city,  which  she  accepted,  to  the 
great  dissatisfaction  of  Captain  Don  Pepe  Silva, 
who  looked  upon  police  force  and  courage  with  evi- 
dent contempt,  and   said  with  a  shrug,  that  he 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  191 

did  n't  see  tliat  his  men  wanted  the  assistance  of 
any  such  trash,  who  were  renowned  for  loading 
their  carabines  with  small  oignons  and  frijoles^ 
and  would  make  off  at  the  first  sight  of  a  don- 
key! 

It  was  settled,  however,  that  the  police  would 
serve  as  scarecrows,  if  nothing  else ;  and  so,  six 
of  them  were  to  be  stationed  at  the  gate  of  the 
city,  to  join  the  equipage  at  the  hour  of  seven  on 
the  following  mornino;. 

The  afternoon  of  that  day  was  employed  by 
Anna  and  Francisca  in  packing  up ;  while  Bochsa 
wrote  letters  to  managers  on  ahead,  with  his  signa- 
ture prefixed  by  the  polite  Mexican  formula — 
''Y.  A.S.  S.  Q.  S.  If.  ^."—although  he  hadn't 
the  most  remote  notion  of  its  meaning — togethei] 
with  other  brief  letters  to  his  old  friends  in  the 
ca2:)ital,  which  he  terminated  by  sending  them  all 
very  abruptly  to  heaven  through  a  final  "  A 
D'ios  !  "  lie  then  joined  Anna,  whom  he  found 
standing  on  the  balcony,  overlooking  the  Plaza 
upon  a  scene  which,  they  both  maintain,  they 
never  shall  forget. 

The  mellow  crimson  flush  of  a  Mexican  sunset 


192  AJSTNA     m    MEXIOO. 

had  faded  into  evening,  and  the  suiTOunding  ar- 
cades that  dimly  overarched  the  brilliantly-lighted 
shops  beneath,  were  only  discernible  in  the  flare 
of  flittering  torches  and  rushlights,  borne  to  and 
fro  by  the  crowded  populace  that  filled-  the  square, 
and  gathered  about  the  sparkling  fountain  in  the 
centre.  And  the  infinite  variety  of  bright  hues 
gleaming  from  the  scrapes  and  rehozos^  and  yellow 
and  red  petticoats,  and  tlie  buzz  and  shouting  of 
hundreds  of  venders,  seated  on  their  heels  behind 
their  respective  lots  of  merchandise,  each  vociferat- 
ing to  drown  the  commingled  voices  of  all  the 
rest  together — heaping  into  the  greatest  confusion 
beds  and  preserved  fruits — mats  and  melons — 
Junes  and  fire-arms^candles  and  cofiins — tables 
and  turnips — crockery  and  crucifixes — pans  and 
lace — pulque  and  linen — boots  and  meat — and  tor- 
tillas^ tomatoes,  onions,  sugar-canes,  and  lemons 
by  the  thousands — formed  a  scene,  in  the  eyes  of 
Anna,  of  the  highest  dramatic  interest  and  eftect. 
And  yet,  the  utmost  order  prevailed  throughout 
the  whole  multitude,  with  scarcely  the  yellow 
paletot  of  a  policeman  to  be  seen,  when,  at  length, 
the  sound  of  a  bell  was  heard,  and,  as  if  by  magic 


ANNA     EST     MEXICO.  193 

i  or  a  stroke  of  paralysis,  tlie  entire  mass  fell  in- 
s  stantly  upon  their  knees,  in  breathless  silence, 
their  heads  bowed  nearly  to  the  earth.  The  cause 
of  tins  strange  transition  was  the  "  Holy  Host "  on 
its  way  to  administer  to  the  sick.  Presently  it  ad- 
vanced. The  priest  sat  in  a  coach  drawn  by 
mules,  as  in  the  metropolis,  but  the  attendant  choir 
of  hojs,  robed  in  white,  were  far  more  numerous, 
and  their  slow  chanting  much  more  harmonious 
and  concordant.  And,  as  they  could  not  traverse 
the  thronged  interior  of  the  square,  they  divided  on 
either  side,  and  moved  along  under  the  arcades, 
their  fiambeaiioc  mingling  their  eiFulgent  glare  with 
those  around  them,  while  the  dark  star-sprinkled 
heavens  above  and  the  broad  vivid  sheen  of  the  full 
moonlight,  shone  down  with  a  sacred  splendor 
upon  the  scene,  to  which  no  pen  can  give  the 
lightest  coloring. 

But  soon,  the  tinkling  of  the  little  bell  grew 
fainter  and  fainter  still,  and  then  died  away  upon 
the  distant  evening  air;  and  the  busy  multitude 
burst  out  again  in  their  boisterous  shouts,  and 
Anna,  without  more  ado,  took  Bochsa  down  into 
their  midst,  with  his  capacious  pockets  crammed 


194:  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

full  of  soap!  And  wlien  they  had  walked  about 
a  little  while,  and  seen  things,  Bochsa  stopped ;  for 
he  had  just  remarked,  among  others,  and  consider- 
ably to  his  amaze,  a  collection  of  small  harps,  about 
a  foot  and  a  half  high.  The  temptation  to  lay  hold 
on  one  of  them  was  irresistible ;  and,  taking  up  the 
first,  he  turned  it  over  and  looked  at  it  with  a  smile 
of  great  affection ;  for  it  seemed  to  him  like  the 
rising  generation  of  his  own  "old  lady."  And 
then  he  struck  it,  and,  finding  the  tone  quite  good, 
began  to  walk  into  it  with  all  the  gusto  of  olden 
times,  kneeling  to  its  diminutive  shape,  and  ripping 
from  its  little  bosom  spme  of  the  sweetest  popular 
Mexican  airs,  to  the  intense  delight  of  the  popu- 
lace, who  left  their  booths  and  niched  him  in  all 
round,  and  cheered  him  and  threw  up  their  hats, 
as,  with  the  greatest  composure,  he  finished  ofi"  and 
bowed  himself  out  of  the  scrape ;  while  Anna  grew 
BO  high-spirited  in  her  merriment,  and  bought  so 
many  things  on  the  spur  of  it,  that,  Avhen  they 
came  home,  Bochsa  was  utterly  soapless. 

In  the  morning,  before  six  o'clock,  the  family 
melon  and  equijiage  were  en  route  from  Qiieretaro^ 
and  the  police  fsoolta  at  the  gate,  waiting  for  it. 


AJSTNA    m     MEXICO.  195 

The  chief  officer,  who  came  directly  to  the  door 
of  the  vehicle,  to  pay  his  respects  to  Anna  and 
Bochsa,  was  a  lean  man,  with  a  thin,  pale  and 
wrinkled  face,  big  black  whiskers  and  green  spec- 
tacles, his  head  wrapt  in  a  large  black  handker- 
chief, on  top  of  which  was  perched  an  umbrageous 
straw  hat,  kept  in  its  place  by  strings  under  the 
chin,  d  la  Cortes.  His  pistols  might  have  passed 
for  small  blunderbusses,  which  were  a  great  satis- 
faction to  look  upon ;  and  his  saddle  and  spurs  were 
of  the  most  costly  description,  and  his  gloves  of 
kid.  As  soon  as  Don  Pepe  saw  him  and  his  men, 
he  drew  up  and  haughtily  ranged  his  own  band  on 
the  other  side  of  the  road,  evincing  great  contempt, 
superciliously  refusing  even  a  cigar  which  the  chief 
offered  to  smoke  with  him.  The  chief  then  went 
back  to  the  carriage,  and  entered  into  conversation 
^ith  Bochsa,  who  enjoyed  it  through  the  medium 
of  Anna  and  his  secretary.  From  what  the  chief 
said  of  himself,  he  had  something  to  do  with  the 
entire  assortment  of  wooden  crosses,  which  were 
very  numerous  and  planted  on  the  road.  Here, 
he  had  killed  two  ladrones  j  there,  he  had  wounded^ 

three;  just  beyond,  he  had,  all  by  himself,  made 
17 


196  AJSTNA    IN    MEXICO. 

any  number  of  prisoners,  and — "  Ca/ramha  !  "  said 
he,  pushing  up  his  spectacles,  and  grasping  one 
of  his  pistols  with  an  energy  that  made  Bochsa 
start — "  Ouerpo  de  Cristo !  how  I  should  like  to« 
meet  the  rascals  who  robbed  the  diligencia  yester- 
day. But,"  he  added,  winking  at  Bochsa  fiercely, 
"they  know  mg,  Senor  cdballero ! ''"' — and  then  he 
took  from  his  pocket  a  telescope  and  spied  all 
round.  "  It  's  all  right,  Eccelenza  I  Tiiui  hien ! 
They  know  me!  There  's  no  danger."  "Whereat 
he  put  his  telescope  away,  and  grasped  his  saddle, 
and  brought  out  from  a  pouch  a  large  flask  of  some- 
thing, and  took  a  long  drink. 

Immediately  upon  this,  the  police  escolta  joined 
the  equipage,  and  the  whole  together  proceeded  as 
far  as  the  bridge,  which  formed  the  limit  of  the 
most  dangerous  passes,  and  there  the  chief  and  his 
men  took  leave  of  the  party,  to  the  great  glee  of 
Don  Pepe  Silva — Anna  throwing  to  them  a  few 
piastres,  which  they  evidently  expected,  and  pocket- 
ed accordingly. 


CEILAYA— VALLE   DE   SANTIAGO. 

After  a  jom*ney  of  a  few  hours  the  party  entered 
Ceilm/a^  where  they  were  received  and  welcomed 
by  a  number  of  caballeros^  who  turned  out  to  be 
those  under  whose  auspices  Anna  had  been  en- 
gaged, and  the  25th  and  27th  of  October  were  im- 
mediately agreed  upon  for  the  two  concerts  she  had 
consented  to  give. 

These  performances  were  to  take  place  in  a  large 
hall  which  had  served  as  a  custom  house  de-pot^ 
and  was  much  dilapidated ;  though,  for  the  present 
occasion,  it  was  to  be  whitewashed,  carpetted,  and 
a  stage  erected,  with  a  dressing-room  built  up  be- 
hind expressly  for  the  renowned  cantatrice. 

The  country  towns  of  Mexico  are,  like  the  mesons 
on  the  road,  precisely  of  the  same  pattern ;  so  much 
so,  that  were  any  person  or  persons,  acquainted 
with  them,  to  be  conducted  blindfold  into  the  mid- 


198  ANNA     IN     SIEXICO. 

die  of  one,  and  the  bandage  removed,  they  miglit 
puzzle  their  wits  for  a  month  to  find  out  in  which 
one  they  really  stood.  Take  a  large  square,  with 
trees  and  gaudily-painted  stone  seats  d  discre- 
tion^ one  fountain  in  the  middle,  garnished  all 
round  with  deep  arcades,  and  the  whole  crowded 
every  night  with  venders,  pedlars  and  beggars — 
add  to  this,  lots  of  confectioners,  lejperos  scattered 
lazily  on  the  ground  at  every  corner,  tortilla-\>oo\\i^^ 
pulque-hare,  jfHjole-restawrants,  and  churches — and 
this  is  the  standard  receipt  by  which  all  Mexican 
towns  seem  to  be  manufactured ;  and,  odd  to  affirm, 
the  relative  positions  of  all  the  ingredients  are  quite 
the  same  in  every  one  of  them.  As  for  the  national 
costumes,  those  of  the  lower  classes,  both  in  town 
and  country,  much  resemble  each  other,  w^ith  per- 
haps a  slight  difference  in  the  women's  rehozos  and 
gowns.  In  the  north,  \kiQ  jacquettes  of  the  men,  as 
well  as  the  broad  open  trowsers,  are  usually  made 
of  leather,  having  the  appearance  of  embossed  mo- 
rocco, and  painted  green,  red,  or  yellow.  These 
garments  are  found  ready  made  and  look  exceed- 
ingly neat  and  original. 

On  the  day  after  her  arrival,  Anna  received  at 


'-. 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  199^ 

her  meson  various  visitors  and  lots  of  bouquets. 
Among  the  former  who  entered  the  room  which 
had  been  dignified  by  the  name  of  "  receiving  sa- 
loon"— or  the  presence-chamber  of  the  queen  of 
Bong,  came  one  character  whose  figure,  conversation 
and  calling  caused  her  to  note  him  down  somewhat 
in  detail.  He  had  a  round  womanish  white  face, 
without  whiskers  or  mustachios,  and,  in  fact,  seem- 
ingly without  any  ground  for  a  beard  at  all.  His 
head  was  one  profuse  mass  of  curly  flaxen  hair, 
which  he  wore  in  the  mop  style.  His  legs  were  set 
off  with  flesh-qplored  silk  tights,  d  la  Monplaisir^ 
and  Hessian  boots,  ornamented  with  gold  tassels  ; 
his  body  being  tightly  girt  in  a  very  brief  cream- 
colored  j?a?(?^o^,  while  a  small  odd  round  hat  capped 
the  climax  of  this  singular  individual's  toilette. 
Bowing  repeatedly,  and  with  much  grace,  to  Anna 
and  Bochsa,  he  said  he  had  frequently  had  the 
pleasure  of  hearing  the  enchanting  ^?'^m<^  donna  in 
Kew-York — that  he  himself  was  the  celebrated 
Fire-king^  and  nobody  else — and  that,  although 
an  American,  he  had  travelled  for  years  in  Mexico, 
and  came  to  offer  his  friendly  services  to  the  famous 

artistes  before  him,  as  well  as  to  ascertain  what  day 
17* 


200  AJSTNA     IN     MEXICO. 

had  been  fixed  upon  for  Anna's  "  show,"  since  he 
would  not,  for  anything  in  the  world,  have  his  own 
clash  with  hers,  adding  very  courteously,  that,  be- 
tween public  professionals  of  all  kinds,  cordial  un- 
derstanding should  invariably  be  studied. 

"  Fire-king  ?"  said  Bochsa  perplexedly,  "  Fire- 
king?"  And  then  looked  round,  seeming  utterly 
at  a  loss  for  its  meaning. 

"  Yes,  my  good  sir,"  replied  his  salamandrine 
majesty,  "  I  am  the  Fire-king.  The  fiercest  fire, 
Lady  Anna,  is  my  only  atmosphere  for  comfort. 
Out  of  an  oven,  I  am  out  of  my  element,  and  be- 
come lost,  chill  and  miserable.  The  oven,  madam, 
at  about  300°,  is  my  summer  residence,  where,  it  is 
needless  to  say,  I  am  able  to  light  my  cigars  with- 
out the  slightest  trouble,  though  they  mostly  light 
themselves,  without  giving  me  the  trouble  at  all." 

"  Aha !  I  see,  my  dear  fire-man — ^king,  I  mean," 
said  Bochsa,  politely.  "  I  see  your  majesty  is  a  wit 
as  well  as  a  clever  artist.  But — excuse  me — how 
can  you  manage  to  live  in  a  hot  fire  with  such  a 
head  of  hair  ?  A  little  bit  of  humbug,  eh  ?  Ha  ! 
ha  !     Come,  tell  us  !" 

"  Humbug,  my  dear  sir,"  replied  the  Fire-king, 


1 


ANNA    IN    aiEXICO.  201 

philosophically,  "  humbug  is  your  only  element 
i  which,  combined  with  talent,  can  make  it  go  ahead 
and  keep  the  impulse  alive.  This  rare  combination 
is  vulgarly  termed  tact ;  and  the  eminent  degree  to 
which  my  very  dear  and  respected  compatriot, 
;  Barnum,  possesses  it,  is  the  great  aim,  pur^^ose,  ob- 
ject and  design  of  my  life.  Barnum,  sir,  is  the 
man !  Barnum  is  my  guide,  my  model.  Like 
Barnum,  I  began  with  nothing.  He  has  made  a 
fortune — there,  I  confess,  we  differ ;  nor  can  Bar- 
num's  head  equal  mine  in  point  of  tightness  of  curl, 
and  there  is  an  immense  deal  in  that,  if  the  world 
only  knew  it !  Allow  me.  Lady  Anna,  to  offer  you 
a  box  for  my  spectacle  this  evening ;  and  if  you 
will  further  promise  to  accept  a  tender  fowl  which 
I  shall  take  with  me  into  the  oven — ten  minutes 
after,  the  bird  and  your  humble  servant  will  emerge 
therefrom,  the  former  roasted  and  the  latter  cool  as 
a  cucumber !  l*s"ow,  is  it  not  a  marvellous  faculty 
— ^that  of  a  man  who  can  stand,  coolly  and  collect 
edly,  in  the  midst  of  a  blazing  fire,  watch  attentive- 
ly the  cooking  of  his  own  dinner — no  deception — 
no  meat  too  much  overdone  or  underdone — why, 
how  far  behind  the  age  does  he  leave  all  the  best 

9* 


202  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

cooks  in  the  world !  Excuse  my  ardent  enthusi- 
asm, Maestro^  but  I  cannot  speak  fervently  of  my 
art  without  a  little  fire  on  my  tongue.  For  the 
present,  adieu — as  it  is  rather  chilly  here" — and  he 
buttoned  up  his  j?«Ze^^  to  the  chin,  adding — "the 
custom,  my  dear  sir,,  of  living  in  fire  renders  one  ex- 
tremely uncomfortable  when  warmed  only  hy  the 
Sim.  !  Sa !  ha !  You  see  I  am  a  true  American — 
merry,  jolly,  original  and  all  that  sort  o'  thing ! 
So,  adieu  !  Oo  ahead  's  the  word  !  "Where  there 's 
no  fire,  there 's  no  smoke !"  And  with  this  final, 
proverbial,  philosophical  and  expressive  moral 
point,  the  Fire-king  blazed  out  of  the  room  and  dis- 
appeared. 

]^o  sooner  had  this  extraordinary  personage 
quitted  the  presence  of  Anna  and  Bochsa,  than  in 
came  another,  who  announced  himself  as  the 
"  king's  companion,"  and  an  American,  begging 
permission  to  introduce  a  musical  amateur  who 
waited  below.  Anna,  prepared  for  a  scientific 
discussion  on  her  pet  art,  readily  consented,  and 
accompanied  Bochsa  to  the  door  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  the  visitor.  Presently,  a  slight  clatter 
was   heard   on  the  staira,  and  next,  a  little  milk- 


AifNA    IN     MEXICO.  203 

white  pony  was  seen  coming  up  with  a  nimble  but 
matter-of-fact  steadiness,  which  caused  the  artistes 
to  fall  back  two  steps  in  their  profoimd  astonish- 
ment. Arrived  at  the  top,  the  interesting  little 
brute  bowed  to  Anna  and  entered.  He  then  took 
a  prominent  part  in  the  conversation  which  follow- 
ed, such  as  being  asked  by  his  master  who  was  the 
first  singer  in  the  world,  at  which  he  went  and 
gently  rubbed  his  head  up  against  Anna's  shoulder. 
He  was  then  desired  to  inform  the  company  what 
instrument  it  was,  among  numerous  others  named 
by  his  master,  on  which  Don  Carlos  Bochsa  was  so 
eminent,  and,  at  the  word,  "  Harp"  gave  three 
punches  with  his  foot  on  the  floor,  within  disagree- 
able proximity  of  Bochsa's  toe.  And,  finally,  being 
told  to  make  reverence  to  the  lady  who  had  plenty 
of  "  soap,"  he  immediately  arose  and  planted  his 
two  feet  on  a  chair  and  neighed  at  Anna  with  the 
wildest  looseness  ! 

"  Did  you  ever  !"  said  Anna. 

"  ISTever !"  said  Bochsa. 

"  Is  n't  it  wonderful !" 

"  Yery  clever  !"  said  Bochsa.  "  Remarkably 
funny !" 


GETTING    UP   THE   CONCEKT. 

As  is  usually  the  case  with  committees  of 
gentlemen,  appointed  to  arrange  matters  with 
"  promptness  and  despatch,"  the  preparations  to 
transform  the  great-lumber  hall  into  a  concert-room 
in  time  for  the  next  day  had  not  been  attended  to 
in  any  one  particular,  the  ample  allowance  of  days 
given  them  for  the  purjDOse  having  probably  been 
consumed  in  confused  discussions  as  to  how  it 
was  best  to  hegin  at  them,  Bochsa,  learning  this, 
begged  the  committee  to  permit  his  own  secretary 
to  take  the  whole  business  immediately  in  hand  ; 
and  thus,  they  having  wisely  consented,  the  room 
was  ready  in  due  season. 

In  the  interim,  Bochsa  had  been  invited  by 
one  of  the  first  musical  amateurs  to  hear,  at  his 
own  residence,  the  Philharmonic  full  band  which 
was  to  accompany  Anna's  scenas.     Bochisa's  experi- 


AJSJNA     IN     aCEXICO.  205 

j  ence,  however,  had  taught  him  not  to  put  too  much 
faith  in  "  full  bands,"  particularly  in  country 
towns  ;  and,  although  he  could  not  well  refuse  the 
invitation,  he  was  vividly  haunted  with  the  certainty 
that  Anna's  orchestra  was  to  consist  of  a  piano  and 
a  stringed  quartetto  at  the  very  utmost.  In  this 
he  was  disappointed ;  for  he  found  the  philharmonic 
band  composed,  not  only  of  reqidntos^  or  picolo 
clarionettes,  but  several  ordinary  clarionettes, 
Ottavinos^  trompas^  bugles,  three  or  four  trombones, 
as  many  ophecleides,  and  two  violins,  whose  part  it 
was  to  play  a  sort  of  tremolo  accompaniment  on 
the  lower  tones.  It  was  a  military  orchestra,  in 
fact,  and  the  music — aiTanged  from  popular  Italian 
operas — all  scored  for  wind  instruments,  wherein 
the  shrill  requinto  took  up  the  prima  donna  parts 
in  the  soprani  cavatinas.  "What  the  violins  were 
about  there  was  the  chief  mystery  ;  although,  con- 
sidering the  general  unsatisfactory  state  of  music  in 
Mexico,  the  whole  together  was  not  bad,  Bochsa, 
notwithstanding,  deemed  it  necessary  to  state  to 
the  committee  that  Anna's  scenas  could  not  possi- 
bly be  given  with  proper  effect,  without  the  full 
complement  of  stringed  instruments.     The  commit- 


206  AN^STA     IN     MEXICO. 

tee  stared — insisting  that  the  effect  of  trombones 
and  ophecleides  would  be  positively  splendid  in 
conjunction  with  the  voice  of  the  gi'eat  cantatrioe, 
and  that  the  professors  could  read  off  any  piece  at 
sight.  Bochsa,  not  wishing  to  offend  the  gentlemen, 
who — apart  from  their  opinion  of  the  band — were 
very  agreeable,  merely  said  that  it  would  perhaps 
be  better  to  decide  the  point  at  a  full  rehearsal  in 
the  hall,  and,  on  taking  leave,  privately  requested 
his  secretary  to  procure  a  good  square  piano,  and 
to  have  it  placed,  at  an  early  hour,  close  to  the 
dramatic  platform. 

A  promos — \  should  here  state  that  the  secretary 
just  mentioned  was  not  the  same  Bochsa  brought 
from  Havana.  He  was  a  yoimg  Frenchman,  of 
considerable  ability,  who  had  studied  medicine 
with  the  intention  of  making  it  his  profession.  He 
was,  moreover,  a  poet,  a  good  pianist  and  a  com- 
poser of  some  talent,  and  spoke  and  wrote  Spanish 
perfectly,  travelling,  for  the  present,  to  see  and 
learn  the  world.  Being  of  a  jocose  turn  of  mind, 
he  fm-thermore  proved  to  Bochsa  that  his  knowledge 
of  medicine  and  capability  to  write  prescriptions 
often  served  him  largely  in  concluding  good  bar- 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  207 

gains  for  Madame  Anna's  interests  and  in  putting 
down  extravagant  bills  to  the  lowest  figure.  If  lie 
found  an  editor  ill^  lie  would  secure  his  gratitude 
at  once  by  some  infallible  cure.  If  he  found  a 
manager  loell.,  he  would  plunge  him  immediately 
into  a  similar  debt  of  obligation  by  a  hint  at  the 
cholera  and  giving  him  a  sure  preventive ;  while 
his  extensive  information  on  the  science  of 
Hippocrates  secured  to  him  an  immense  influence 
over  everybody  with  whom  Anna  and  her  maes- 
tro were  thrown  in  contact,  including  the  apothe- 
caries, who  were,  of  course,  excessively  partial 
and  polite  to  him. 

Tickets  for  both  concerts  were  by  this  time  nearly 
all  sold  by  the  Ceilayan  committee,  and  at  enor- 
mous prices.  As  Bochsa  had  anticipated,  however, 
the  philharmonic  band  proved  unfit  accompani- 
ments for  Anna's  Tajicredi^  or  anything  else ;  and, 
in  consequence,  the  piano  alone,  played  by  himself, 
was  substituted  on  both  evenings,  and  the  aflTair 
went  off  with  the  usual  brilliant  eclat^  creating  an 
excitement  never  before  dreamed  of  in  that  quiet 
and  remote  corner  of  the  world. 

At  the  end  of  the  last  concert,  a  deputation  of 
18 


208  AJSTNA     IN     MEXICO. 

gentlemen  from  the  small  town  of  Yalle  de  Sant- 
iago— twenty-five  miles  from  Ceilaya  and  rather  out 
of  the  public  road — came  in  and  begged  that  Anna 
and  her  little  colony  would  at  least  consent  to  give 
one  performance  there  on  the  succeeding  day,  add- 
ing, that  their  journey  to  Leon  would  be  only  re- 
tarded a  few  hours,  and  that  there  would  be  no  risk, 
as  all  expenses  would  be  secured  and  four  hundred 
piastres  or  more  given  by  the  inhabitants.  Bochsa 
consented ;  and  early  the  next  morning,  the  artistes 
received  all  sorts  of  congratulations  and  good 
wishes  from  the  whole  population  of  Ceilaya^  shook 
hands  with  the  Fire-king,  and  were  on  their  way, 
leaving  him  excessively  delighted  at  now  being  the 
sole  lion  of  the  place.  All  were  in  the  highest  pos- 
sible spirits  as  the  great  family  melon  rolled  on ; 
for,  so  comfortably  had  everything  been  arranged, 
that  they  might  have  thought  themselves  in  Eu- 
rope, but  for  some  horrid  and  dislocating  souhrer 
sauts  which  now  and  then  bounced  them  into  a 
frightful  sense  of  Mexican  ground.  The  cause,  too, 
of  the  body  of  the  vehicle  being  perched  up  at  such 
a  height  from  the  earth — which  had  always  been  a 
puzzle  to  Anna — had  shortly  an  opportunity  of  ex- 


ANNA     IN    MEXICO.  209 

plaining  itself;  for,  abont  half  way  on,  Don  Alva- 
rado,  stopi^ing  the  concern,  came  ronnd  to  inform 
the  travellers,  that  close  ahead  there  was  a  large 
river  to  cross,  called  El  Guaje^  three  or  four  feet 
deep,  and  that,  as  there  was  no  bridge,  ferry  or 
boat  of  any  kind,  the  party  mnst  remain  in  the 
coach,  to  be  carried  over  in  it,  while  the  mules  and 
horses  would  swim  for  themselves.  There  was  no 
danger,  he  said,  for  la  Senorita  Anna^  on  account 
of  the  elevation  of  the  coach  ;  but  that  all  the  lug- 
gage, behind,  before  and  in  the  great  rope  net  un- 
derneath, servants  and  all  included,  must  be  taken 
out  and  borne  across  the  river  on  the  heads  of 
naked  Indians ! 

"  What  's  that !"  cried  Anna,  in  amaze.  "  My 
maid  on  the  head  of  a  naked — .  Bochsa,  let  her 
come  in  here !"     And  she  came. 

Now,  the  deputation  from  the  Yalle  Santiago  had 
represented  this  journey  as  a  mere  pleasure  excur- 
sion of  a  few  hours,  skipping  over  the  river  as  a 
matter  not  worth  mentioning.  In  consequence, 
Bochsa  began  to  fume  fearfuMy,  alighted  and 
scowled  at  the  water,  and  then  glared  over  to  the 
other  side,  which  seemed  to  him  a  very  great  way 


210  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

off.  In  despair,  he  blew  up  his  secretary  for  not 
knowing  what  the  road  was,  and  then  expressed 
his  disgust  to  Anna  that  the  government  should 
thus  jeoj)ardize  the  lives  of  strangers,  as  though  it 
looked  upon  them  as  mere  goujeons !  * — and  then 
demanded  of  Alvarado  if  there  was  no  other  possi- 
ble road  ? 

"  l^aj,  Seno7'  caballero^^''  responded  the  other, 
rolling  up  his  trowsers,  in  common  with  the  other 
men,  high  above  his  knees,  "  not  for  a  carriage. 
There  is  one  for  horsemen  and  arrieros^  taking  the 
bed  of  the  river  through  the  fields  ;  but  no  carriage 
can  pass  there."  Whereupon,  Bochsa  turned  off 
with  a  groan,  and  thought  he  would  ascertain  the 
depth  of  the  river  by  one  of  the  tallest  Indians, 
who  at  once  debarrassed  himself  of  the  least  bit  of 
covering  in  the  world,  and,  seizing  some  luggage, 
bore  it  rapidly  across  on  his  head,  the  water  reach- 
ing to  his  breast ;  while  Don  Pepe  Silva,  springing 
erect- on  h^  horse,  like  a  circus-rider,  passed  the 
flood  with  much  grace,  followed  close  by  the  car- 


*  A   little  fish— frequently  used  (in  French)  to  signify   a 
dupe. — Ed. 


^i 


JlNNA    in    MEXICO.  211 

riage,  containing  tlie  artistes^  secretary  and  maid, 
and  which,  thanks  to  its  taUness  and  buorancy, 
navigated  the  swollen  stream,  very  comfortably  and 
drily  landing  the  inmates  on  the  other  side.  Next, 
Cortes — who  had  previonsly  begged  to  deposit  his 
eword  and  jacquette  in  the  coach — spnrred  up  his 
steed,  to  pnt  fire  in  him,  and  roused  him  to  the 
transit ;  and,  so  gaily  went  they  in  together  that 
Don  Luis'  elbows  flapped  up  and  down  like  wings, 
in  sheer  exultation  at  his  security.  Scarce,  how- 
ever, had  they  reached  the  mid-water,  wlien  the 
little  beast  began  to  plunge  and  kick  in  the  most 
frightful  manner.  But  Cortes,  priding  himself  on 
his  horsemanship,  stuck  to  the  animal  as  though  he 
were  nailed  on,  and  finally  came  out,  drenclied,  but 
triumphant.  In  about  an  hour,  the  whole,  more  or 
less  dripping,  had  passed  over,  Don  Alvarado  giv- 
ing to  the  Indians  a  few  piastres^  to  which  Anna 
added  an  ounce  of  gold,  for  the  fidelity  and  energy 
with  which  they-  had  achieved  their  task.  They 
were  tall,  strong,  bronzed  men,  who  lived  in  miser- 
able huts  hard  by,  and  without  any  appearance 
of  being  lazy  or  indolent  like  the  rest  of  the  Mexi- 
cans. It  was,  therefore,  quite  a  novelty  to  look 
upon  them.  jg  » 


212  '  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

While  the  coach  was  reloaded,  and  the  men 
were  drying  themselves  in  the  sun,  which  seemed 
to  kindle  up  at  the  prospect  of  so  arduous  an  under- 
taking, Anna  took  .  Bochsa  for  a  stroll  about  the 
adjacent  grounds.  It  was  a  beautiful  spot,  a  sort 
of  wild  forest,  abounding  in  the  grateful  maguey 
and  tunes,)  and  forming  a  delicious  shade  from  the 
noon-day  heat.  Then,  from  the  summit  of  a  little 
hill,  Anna  could  see  that  pretty,  but  very  disagree- 
able stream,  flowing  serpent-like  through  the  broad 
fields,  and  glittering  like  silver  beneath  the  burn- 
ing heavens. 

The  rural  enchantment  of  the  scene,  and  the 
pure  Mexican  air,  soon  put  Bochsa  in  his  usual 
good  temper  again,  and,  all  things  prepared,  the 
party  resumed  their  journey  quite  peacefully,  until, 
about  six  miles  from  the  Yalle  Santiago^  Don  Pepe 
Silva  and  two  of  his  men  were  seen  to  start  off  sud- 
denly, and  gallop  towards  a  turn  of  the  road,  some 
twenty  yards  ahead.  What  tliis  could  mean, 
Bochsa  stared  out  to  discover  ;  but,  being  near- 
sighted, he  could  only  perceive  a  dark  moving  mass 
enveloped  in  a  cloud  of  dust !  "  Good  gracious  !" 
thought  Bochsa,  as  the  idea  of  ladrones  now  struck 
him  forcibly — and   then   turned   to  the  secretary. 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  213 

who  was  deeply  engaged  in  reading  a  ntiisical  work 
— '"''Allons!  Allans  !  inon  cher — mte! — en  avant  I 
—  les  'jpistolets  P''  At  the  word  '-'- instolets  T  — 
Anna,  who  was  embroidering  an  elegant  little  slip- 
per for  her  sister,  droi3ped  her  needle,  grasped  the 
little  revolver  in  her  apron-pocket,  whipped  it  out 
and  cocked  it  with  great  resolution.  At  the  same 
instant,  Don  Pepe  Silva  and  his  men  were  seen  re- 
turning at  full  speed,  announcing  that  a  numerous 
cavalcade,'  from  the  Yalle  Santiago^  were  hard 
upon  them,  with  a  magnificent  carriage  and  four 
"  that  the  world's  nightingale  and  her  maestro 
might  be  conveyed  into  their  town  with  all  due 
honors  !"  Bochsa  was  thunderstruck ! — while  Anna 
burst  into  a  rich  musical  laugh  at  the  absurdity  of 
his  demand  for  "  pistols !"  And  now  the  cavalcade 
advanced,  and  one  of  the  gentlemen,  nominated 
spokesman,  addressed  Anna  in  a  neat  Spanish 
speech,  expressing  their  delight  at  the  honor  she 
was  conferring  upon  them,  at  which  Anna  returned 
thanks  in  her  pretty,  broken  accents  of  their  lan- 
guage, which  so  enraptured  the  cdballeros^  that  they 
all  vociferated  with  one  accord  "  Yiva  Anna ! 
Viva  Bochsa  /     Jfuy   hien,   muy   Men !      Viva ! 


214  ANNA     IN    MEXICO. 

viva  /"  And,  immediately  upon  this,  the  carriage 
ap23roaclied,  drawn  by  four  beautiful  bays,  and 
driven  by  a  spruce  coachman  on  the  box,  and  led 
by  a  postillion.  This  was  followed  by  various 
others,  containing  ladies,  who  graciously,  in  turn, 
presented  Anna  with  costly  bouquets.  And  there- 
with, the  artistes  got  out  and  left  the  great  family 
melon  in  charge  of  the  secretary,  to  get  along  as 
best  it  could  ;  while  the  whole  affair  went  off  brilli- 
antly and  amid  the  plaudits  of  all. 

The  road  was  found  to  be  exceedingly  good, 
principally  of  small  gravel,  and  as  straight  as  a  rib- 
bon— much  like  those  in  England.  In  fact,  Anna 
was  informed  by  a  gentleman,  who  had  taken  an 
inside  place  with  the  party,  that  the  road  was 
made  and  kept  in  such  order,  as  was  unknown  in 
any  other  part  of  Mexico,  by  the  principal  mer- 
chants and  residents  of  the  Yalle  de  Santiago, 
through  their  own  private  purses ;  and  this  for  their 
own  special  comfort  rather  than  to  serve  the  public, 
as  their  town  lay  far  out  of  the  way  of  any  diligen- 
cias  or  public  conveyance. 

In  less  than  an  hour  they  reached  their  destina- 
tion, where  Anna  was  immediately  conducted  to  a 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  215 

large  private  house  prepared  by  the  dilettanti  for 
her  reception,  and  at  their  own  expense.  Being 
assured  that  the  artistes  were  highly  pleased  with 
this  arrangement,  they  next  established  Don  Luis 
Cortes  in  a  well-aj^pointed  kitchen,  and  then  retired. 
Soon  after  this  the  secretary,  melon,  luggage,  etc., 
came  uj) ;  and  all,  once  more  together,  concluded 
that  they  might  make  themselves  very  comfortable 
— apart  from  the  presence  of  numerous  large  and 
very  hideous  scor]3ions  which  Bochsa  observed  to 
be  sticking  about  on  the  ceiling,  as  if  ready  at 
any  moment  to  pounce  down  on  tables  or  beds, 
whei'ever  they  supposed  the  best  feed  might  be 
obtained  with  the  least  trouble. 

After  dinner,  several  visitors  having  come  to  pay 
their  respects,  the  bustling  maestro  went  out  with 
one  or  two  of  them  to  the  houses  of  the  principal 
amateurs  of  the  town,  and  was  not  a  little  astonish- 
ed to  find  there  divers  Chickering  and  Stoddart 
piano-fortes,  whereon  were  strewn,  not  only  various 
vocal  scores  of  our  best  operatic  composers,  but 
some  of  the  works  of  Handel  and  Haydn,  and 
many  other  musical  luxuries  which  he  had  not 
been  able  to  find  in  the  metropolis,  or,  indeed,  in 
any  of  the  states  he  had  as  yet  visited. 


216  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

The  performers  of  the  band  were  all  amateurs, 
but  very  good — particularly  the  '"'' jpiston^''  Like 
that  of  Ceilaya,  it  consisted  of  requintos^  clario- 
nettes,  trombones,  ophecleides,  and  two  violins,  with 
one  double-bass  which  seemed  to  our  maestro  like 
the  yolk  of  an  egg  thrown  into  a  sauce  to  bind  and 
unite  its  various  ingredients.  They  were  not,  how- 
ever, to  accompany  Anna,  but  simply  to  play  as 
interludes  between  her  songs. 

The  room  selected  for  the  cantatfrice's  concert 
was  a  public  school,*  where  the  long,  hard- worn 
and  slippery  benches  of  the  scholars  were  to  serve 
the  audience.  Anna  herself  was  to  occupy  the 
small  elevated  platform  at  the  farther  end,  whence 
the  teacher  was  accustomed  to  give  forth  his  daily 
lectures.  Beyond  this,  a  little  recess  had  been 
arranged  for  her,  and  provided  with  a  handsome 
toilette,  arm-chair,  carpet  and  other  comforts, 
besides  candelabras. 

As  no  chandelier  could  be  obtained,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  lighting  up  the  room  satisfactorily,  it  was 


*  Here,  again,  the  little  Voile  de  Santiago  seems  to  have  the 
advantage  of  civilization  over  the  great  city  of  Mexico. — Ep- 


ANNA     m     MEXICO.  217 

decided  that  the  small  lamps,  perched  on  little  foiir- 
foot  posts  at  either  end  of  the  benches,  should  be 
used  to  the  best  advantage.  These  lamjDS  served 
for  evening  lectures ;  and,  as  they^  were  not  larger 
than  tumblers,  and  only  gave  out  a  small  circle  of 
light  each,  limiting  it  to  a  kind  of  ghastly  glare 
upon  the  faces  in  their  vicinity,  this  perspective  of 
heads  dwindling  off  into  the  distance  and  utter 
darkness  beyond,  imparted  a  very  novel  aspect  to 
the  audience ;  while,  by  way  of  contrast,  a  profusion 
of  wax  candles  and  candelabras  graced  the  platform 
where  Anna  came  forth  to  sing,  beaming  in  her 
jewels  and  some  dozen  or  fourteen  bracelets  (the 
gifts  of  emperors  and  queens)  giving  her  the 
appearance  of  some  pet  Mexican  Madonna.  This 
illusion,  moreover,  was  heightened  by  the  smart  ex- 
plosions of  rockets  and  crackers,  and  the  lighted 
torches  in  the  streets — the  usual  paraphernalia  of 
religious  ceremonies  —  all  which  had  been  cialled 
into  requisition  on  this  most  memorable  occasion. 
And  then  her  singing,  pervading  the  air  like  the 
voices  of  seraphim,  so  completed  the  charm,  that 
the  listeners  lent  their  ears  to  it  with  an  almost 
pious  fervor  and  devotion. 


218  AUNA    m    MEXICO. 

When  tlie  first  part  of  the  entertainment  had 
concluded,  the  hidies  rushed  about  Anna,  and  the 
gentlemen  about  Bochsa,  who  was  seated  at  the 
piano,  in  the  greatest  anxiety  for  them  to  repeat 
the  concert.  This,  however,  was  impossible;  but 
she  sang  several  little  extra  niorceaux,  to  keep 
them  quiet,  making  in  all  about  fifteen  pieces  that 
evening,  though,  so  remarkable  is  her  ease  of 
execution,  the  last  note  came  forth  as  clear  and 
effortless  as  the  first.  The  secret  of  this  faculty,  in 
fact,  lies  in  her  studiously  avoiding  that  unpleasant 
defect  in  other  ^hne  donne  —  that  of  sudden 
screams  on  high  notes  (which  are  not  only  harsh, 
but  abuse  the  vocal  powers  and  fatigue  them  to  no 
purpose),  leaving  the  other  notes  to  scramble  for 
themselves  and  get  out  of  the  scrape  as  they 
can. 

The  next  morning,  after  a  promise  to  visit  again 
this  little  musical  colony  on  their  return  towards 
Mexico,  the  party  resumed  their  journey,  and,  after 
four  days'  travelling,  came  to  the  end  of  it  without 
accident. 


LEON. 

Arrived  m  good  condition  at  the  city  of  Leori^ 
Anna  and  party  were  established  in  a  meson  a 
little  more  spacious  than  the  j)receding  one, 
whereupon,  Bochsa,  accomj^anied  by  his  secretary, 
paid  a  visit  to  Anna's  banker,  a  gentleman  of  great 
wealth,  who  had  several  shops  where  were  respec- 
tively sold  liquors,  dry  goods,  boots,  and  a  variety 
of  other  things.  They  then  went  round  to  the 
best-looking  apothecary's  shoj)  in  town,  where, 
thanks  to  a  few  Latin  compliments  and  medico- 
technical  phrases  pronounced  by  the  secretary 
with  a  very  profound  look  and  great  assurance, 
both  visitors  were  most  cordially  received. 

So  far  as  the  theatre  was  concerned,  Bochsa  had 
learned   that   there   was   none  in  the  place,  other 


*  About  303  miles  from  the  metropolis. — Ed. 
19 


220  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

than  a  regular  cock-fighting  arena;  and,  being  a 
little  tired  of  that  style  of  thing  for  a  temple  of 
Melpomene  and  Thalia^  he  asked  the  apothecary 
(the  secretary  having  jumped  over  the  comiter  to  aid 
him  in  the  manufacture  of  some  potent  mixture)  if 
there  was  any  large  room  to  be  had.  To  which  the 
artist  in  rhubarb  answered,  that  the  public  school 
might  possibly  be  obtained;  so  that  Bochsa  and 
secretary  went  immediately  thither.  It  was  a 
large  low  building,  and,  on  approaching  it  our 
maestro  was  struck  by  a  fearful  clamor  of  some 
hundred  boys,  shouting  within,  all  together,  at  the 
highest  pitch  of  their  voice.  This  was  the  Lancas- 
terian  system — so  the  secretary  told  Bochsa,  who 
sagely  replied,  that  he  would  recommend  it  to 
senators  on  his  return,  to  save  time  in  case  of  long 
speeches.  But  just  at  this  moment,  the  school 
door  opened,  and  a  naked  boy  rushed  out,  followed 
by  a  number  of  others  similarly  dressed,  which 
astonished  the  Tnaestro  considerably.  At  this,  the 
boy  came  uj)  and  inquired  if  the  cahalleros  wanted 
to  see  the  master  and  his  wife ! — the  which  honor 
Bochsa  politel^^  declined,  not  desiring  to  indulge 
himself  in   the   sight   of  any  modern  Adams  and 


A3TNA     IN     MEXICO.  221 

Eves,  and  quietly  turned  his  back  on  the  Mexican 
cherub,  saying  with  much  dryness  to  his  secretary, 
that  he  hoped  the  young  gentlemen  would  change 
their  costumes  if  they  came  to  Anna's  concert,  as  it 
was  strictly  a  dress  concert;  upon  this  the  subject 
was  cut  short,  and  the  idea  of  the  school-room 
totally  abandoned. 

ISTo  resource,  then,  was  left  but  the  cock-fighting 
arena,  at  least  for  one  night ;  and  the  lady-proprie- 
tress of  the  arena,  moreover,  expected  it,  and  so  the 
contract  was  instantly  written  and  signed. 

One  clause  in  the  contract  especially  staggered 
Bochsa ;  for  it  stipulated  that  he  should  pay  the 
sum  specified  for  the  use  of  the  cock-pit  in  "  genuine 
Mexican  piastres,"  and  not  in  pieces  of  soap,  or  in 
copper  money,  or  cigars,  ov  poultry  alive  or  dead  ! 
But,  as  Bochsa  had  not  the  most  remote  idea  of 
doing  anything  of  the  sort,  he  let  the  proviso  go  for 
what  it  was  M^orth,  rather  pitying  the  proprietor,  in 
the  supposition  that  he  had  been  imposed  upon  by 
some  such  singular  deposits  of  nature  and  art  on 
previous  occasions. 

The  secretary,  meanwhile,  was  rather  delighted 
to  find    that  the  only  bill-printer  in  Leon^  a  very 


222  AJ^fNA   m   Mexico. 

mean  and  sordid  man,  was  ill ;  in  consequence  of 
which  he  expressed  his  opinion  that,  if  this  esta- 
blisher  of  characters  had  any  intention  to  Meed  the 
artists,  Tie  would  take  especial  care  to  reciprocate 
by  means  of  an  additional  leech  for  every  cent 
over-charged.  The  result,  therefore,  realized  his 
most  sanguine  expectations. 

In  the  afternoon,  Anna  visited  the  arena,  which 
was  crowded  with  men  of  the  lower  classes,  carrying 
under  their  arms  divers  fierce-looking  cocks,  ready 
for  the  contest.  The  screeching  of  the  birds,  and 
shouting  of  the  Leperos  were  deafening,  and  the 
smoke  insufferable.  In  no  part  of  Mexico  is  cock- 
gambling  so  universal  as  at  this  same  Leon,  Morn- 
ing, afternoon  and  evening,  the  arena  is  crammed 
with  these  lively  exhibitions,  and  Anna  found  that 
she  was  obliged  to  postpone  her  concert,  on  account 
of  a  fight  coming  off  between  two  very  distinguished 
and  highly-estimated  cocks,  of  the  most  animated 
breed. 

The  furniture  of  the  arena  consisted  of  six  rows 
of  stone  gradins  all  around  ;  in  addition  to  which 
the  arena  itself  was  to  be  filled,  on  Anna's  night, 
with  other  seats,  such  could  be  provided.    Those 


ANNA    m    MEXICO. 

portions  of  the  building  which  were  open  to  the  air 
were  to  be  covered  with  mats  and  canvass.  As  for 
the  lighting,  Bochsa  was  informed  that,  for  four 
piastres,  he  could  have  a  sufficient  number  of  pitch 
torches  for  the  purpose,  to  be  stuck  on  the  small 
stage  erected  in  front,  and  a  quantity  of  earthen 
saucers  filled  with  grease  or  oil  with  huge  wicks 
plunged  into  them,  and  which  might  be  placed 
along  on  the  highest  gradin.  The  idea  savored  not 
much  of  the  agreeable  to  our  maestro^  who  subse- 
quently realized  that  burning  fat  was  not  incense, 
and  that  such  "  ofience  is  rank  and  smells  to 
heaven !" 

Bochsa  and  his  piano  were  to  be  placed  in  a 
small  box  where  usually  sat,  in  their  sapient  dig- 
nity, the  umpires  of  cock-fighting. 

The  concert  went  off  admirably,  and  the  receipts 
from  1020  persons  on  the  gradins^  at  a  half  a  dollar 
each,  and  195  more  in  the  arena,  at  one  dollar  and 
a  half  each,  was  a  prospect  at  which  Anna  certain- 
ly felt  extremely  satisfied.  But  it  so  chanced  that, 
at  the  termination  of  the  performance,  Bochsa's 
eyes   were  very  suddenly  opened  to  an  amazing 

width  by  the  gradin  money-takers,   who  brought 
19* 


224  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

Lim,  m  acco'wnt^  from  the  treasury^  countless  pieces 
of  yellow  soap,  innumerable  cigars  and  two  figJiting 
cocks  alive  and  ready  1  Boclisa  remonstrated,  but 
in  vain.  It  was  wliat  they  usually  received,  they 
said,  as  small  'money^  and  endeavored  to  prove  to 
the  infuriated  maestro  that,  if  the  soap  was  weighed 
and  the  cigars  called  by  the  name  of  Anita^  he 
would  realize  an  immense  profit  by  them! — and 
quieted  him  by  a  glowing  description  of  the  musi- 
cal taste  of  a  family  who,  to  hear  the  great  prima 
donna  had  positively  parted  with  two  of  the  most 
celebrated  fighting  cocks  in  the  town  for  six  gradin 
tickets. 

Bochsa,  materially  calmed  down  by  this  diplo- 
matic bit  of  flattery,  liberally  paid  the  money-taker 
for  his  services,  a  la  Mexicaine^  with  twelve  pieces 
of  soap  and  a  huge  bundle  of  cigars,  and  had 
the  cocks  cooked  for  a  supper,  to  treat  his  escort 
with. 

It  was  some  source  of  gratification,  though,  to 
feel  that  the  audience  had  been  a  jam.  In  fact,  a 
vender  of  water-melons,  lemons,  tunes^  and  sugar- 
canes  had  jjaid  to  Bochsa's  secretary  twelve 
piastres  for  the  right  to  sell  his  fruits' in  the  arena 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  225 

on  tliat  eventful  niglit,  besides  sending  to  the 
cantatrice  a  large  supply  of  lemon-ices ;  and  when 
it  is  considered  that  the  above  luxuries  sell  at  Leon 
for  almost  nothing,  the  profit  over  and  above  the 
twelve  piastres,  and  with  wliich  the  man  seemed 
perfectly  satisfied,  argues  considerably  in  favor 
of  the  amount  of  business  he  got  through  with. 

The  next  day  was  mainly  spent  in  packing  up 
again,  and  taking  leave  of  the  authorities  and 
others  who  had  visited  Anna,  and  in  rambling 
about  town  on  foot.  Just  as  the  artists  were  about 
to  start  for  the  latter  recreation,  a  very  smart-look- 
ing gentleman,  mounted  on  a  fine  chestnut  horse, 
entered  the  court-yard  of  the  meson^  and,  perceiv- 
ing them  under  the  arcades,  dismounted  with  a 
gracious  air,  exclaming, 

"  Dear  madame ! — glad  to  see  you  again !  Mr. 
Bochsa,  I  guess  it 's  unnecessary  to  ask  how  you 
are,  for  you  look  charmingly!" 

Anna  was  the  first  who  suddenly  recognized  in 
the  assailant  the  identical  Fire-king  they  had  left 
at  Ceilaya',  though  the  whole  appearance  of  the 
man  had  undergone  a  complete  metamorphose ;  for, 
instead  of  the  fiesh-colored  tights,  he  now  wore 
10* 


226  AUNA   IN   MEXICO. 

fashionable  gray  pants,  of  quite  a  distmgue  cut, 
ornamented  with  elegant  silver  buttons,  like  those 
of  the  riding  gentlemen  of  the  metropolis.  His 
hluQJacquette  was  of  unexceptionable  fit  and  mate- 
rial, his  linen  like  snow,  his  black  cravat  adjusted 
with  the  best  taste,  his  profuse  cm*lj  flaxen  hair 
rolled  well  up  under  a  broad  white  somhrero  of  the 
finest  beaver,  and  altogether  he  was  a  pattern  of  a 
cahallero  of  the  very  fii'st — to  say  nothing  of  his 
saddle,  upon  which  was  lavished  the  richest  em- 
broidery. 

"  Helloa !"  said  Bochsa.  "  Come  in,"  and  they 
went  into  Anna's  parlor.  "  But  how  is  it  that  you 
are  here  so  soon  ?  I  thought  your  majesty  would 
have  stayed  longer  at  Ceilaya^  levying,  as  kings 
generally  do,  heavy  impositions  upon  the  people." 

"  My  very  dear  sir,"  replied  the  oven-star,  spread- 
ing out  his  hands  with  a  shrug,  "  I  thought,  of  course, 
I  should  make  something  out  of  them.  But  it  was 
no  go !  They  've  no  more  taste  than  show-monkeys, 
and  no  more  mind  to  appreciate  the  wonders  of 
fiery  entertainments  and  the  marvels  of  educated 
powers,  than  just  so  many  savages !  Why,  sir, 
when  I  came  out  fresh  and  blooming  from  the  oven, 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  227 

the  other  day,  and  made  my  bow  to  the  audience, 
I  thought  I  was  in  a  nest  of  rattle-snakes,  for  the 
hisses !  The  brutes  had  the  audacity,  sir,  to  say  it 
was  all  humbug  ! — and  insisted  on  my  going  back 
into  the  red-hot  oven  for  twenty  minutes  longer, 
while  they  watched  it  all  round,  like  cats  round  a 
rat-hole  !  Oh,  my  dear  sir ! — how  different  is  the 
taste  and  genius  of  my  own  free  and  native  country. 
America !  land  of  "Washington  and  Barnum ! — hail, 
hail  forever !  Only  get  up  an  excitement  tJiere^  no 
matter  what  for,  and  Yankee  blood  is  right  up  for 
a  dive  into  the  very  middle  of  it ! — and  applause 
showering  in  thunder,  whether  the  audience  under- 
stood it  or  not !  Let  'em  but  smell  a  little  of  the 
almighty  humbug,  by  jingo,  sir — and  they  go  into 
it  with  a  looseness  that  becomes  absolutely  over- 
whelming !  To  return  to  the  subject,  then,  it  was 
very  evident  I  was  not  understood  or  appreciated 
by  these  barbarians  at  Ceilaya  y  and,  being  at  a 
pretty  considerable  expense  for  wood  and  raw 
meat  without  chance  of  profit,  I  left  the  miserable 
and  ignorant  heathens  in  disgust.  I  have  some 
property  in  the  state  of  Leon^  and  my  wife  and 
children  living  in  a  very  comfortable  house  in  this 


228  ANNA    IN   MEXICO. 

same  city.  So  I  decided  to  come  home  and  rusti- 
cate a  little,  before  going  to  do  business  at  the  fair 
of  San  Juan  de  los  Lagos.  Yes  sir — '  home,  sweet 
home  !' — you  know  the  ballad— another  humbug," 
by  the  way — words  stolen  from  an  Irishman,  and 
the  music  a  Sicilian  melody.  But  no  matter  ;  it 's 
all  the  same.    It  all  goes  down !" 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  you  were  married,"  said 
Anna,  recovering  from  a  fit  of  laughter. 

"  Oh,  madam — true.  I  seldom  mention  that 
trifle,  except  in  confidence ;  for  married  men,  en- 
gaged in  professional  life,  never  get  along  half  so 
well  as  those  who  have  no  better  half  to  look  after 
them.  Besides,  we  want  the  ladies — is  it  not  so, 
maestro" — turning  to  Bochsa — "  I  say  we  want  the 
ladies !  They  are  necessary  to  our  existence ; 
and,  without  the  personal  interest  of  the  dear 
creatures  we  should  be  obliged  to  shut  up  shop. 
Therefore,"  added  the  fire-king,  taking  an  ofi'-hand 
survey  of  himself,  "  if  we  wish  to  please  the  sex, 
we  must  avow  ourselves  single — another  little  bit 
of  humbug,  which,  I  am  proud  to  say,  has  usually 
succeeded  in  tempting  the  ladies  to  patronize  my 
fii-e.     Pardon  me,  fair  cantatrice — I  have  nearly 


ANNA   IN    MEXICO.  229 

forgotteii,  in  your  presence,  the  principal  object  of 
mj  visit.  The  road  to  Guadalajara,  for  a  few  miles 
after  leaving  Leon,  is  always  more  or  less  danger- 
ous about  this  time  of  the  year,  as  ladrones,  who 
are  said  to  be  countenanced  by  some  influential 
men  of  this  city,  infest  it  in  great  numbers,  ex- 
pecting rich  booty  from  the  immense  quantity  of 
Mexican  and  foreign  merchants  who  go  to  the 
celebrated  fair  of  Sa/n  Juan  de  los  Lagos^^  which 
will  open  in  a  few  days.  So  I  come  to  put  "  a  la 
disposicion  de  usted''''  (not  a  la  Mexicaine,  but 
seriously^  an  extra  escort,  consisting  of  my  part- 
ner, the  master  and  instructor  of  my  musical  pony, 
and  of  half  a  dozen  of  our  circus-men,  just  arrived, 
brave,  stout  fellows,  much  applauded  in  Mexico 
by  a  discerning  public,  in  a  remarkable  fight  I  had 
arranged  for  them  in  a  grand  equesti'ian  panto- 
mime." 


*  The  annual  fair  of  San  Juan  de  los  Lagos,  a  small  town 
on  the  road  to  Guadalajara,  is  the  most  extensive  one  in  the 
whole  republic,  and  attended  not  only  by  merchants  from  all 
parts  of  the  country,  but  likewise  by  many  others  from  North 
America,  Cuba,  France  and  England.  It  lies  69  miles  from 
Leon,  and  118  from  Guadalajara,  the  capital  of  the  state  of 
Jtlisco. — Ed. 


230  ANNA   m   MEXICO. 

To  tMs,  Boclisa  replied  that  lie  was  very  mucli 
obliged  to  the  fire-king,  but  added,  that  he  had  al- 
ready been  informed  of  the  nnsafe  condition  of 
the  road,  and  intended  to  ask  the  Prefect  and  Mili- 
tary Commandant  for  a  few  mounted  men  in  ad- 
dition to  his  own.  That  he  would  be  happy  to 
accept  his  offer,  in  case  he  could  not  thus  be  ac- 
commodated —  which  he  somewhat  feared,  as 
many  of  the  troops  had  been  sent  already  to  San 
Juan,  and  to  different  parts  of  the  state  on  ac- 
count of  certain  pending  disturbances.  His 
secretary,  however,  would  call  and  let  him  know 
in  the  evening,  as  their  departure  was  fixed  upon 
for  the  morrow  morning. 

The  fire-king  hereupon  expressed  himself  ex- 
tremely sorry  that  he  could  not  be  of  the  party,  in- 
asmuch as  the  freshness  of  the  morning  air  did  n't 
suit  his  temperament ;  and  therewith,  deeply  im- 
pressing upon  Bochsa  the  fact  that  he  was  at  pre- 
sent engaged  in  a  chemical  process,  the  result 
whereof  was  going  to  astound  the  entire  world,  he 
bade  farewell  to  him,  and  a  theatrical  adieu  to 
Anna,  mounted  his  chestnut,  and  vanished ! 

The  city  of  Zeon  was  found  to  be  one  of  third 
rate  importance,  but  boasting  many  rich  merchants. 


ANNA   m    MEXICO.  231 

Its  miniature  Paseo^  newly  completed,  is  very 
pretty,  and  numerous  elegant  carriages,  of  foreign 
construction,  may  be  seen  there  every  Sunday  after- 
noon. The  convents  and  churches  are  superb ;  and 
the  new  building,  occupying  an  entire  side  of  the 
great  Plaza,  and  designed  for  a  religious  seminary, 
will  be,  ~when  finished,  of  the  finest  description. 
Then,  the  arcades  of  the  Plaza  are  by  no  means 
•uninteresting;  and,  on  the  pavement  underneath 
them,  may  be  seen  ready-made  male  costumes,  in 
wrought  leather,  of  every  color  and  curious  stamp, 
and  rich  saddles  for  both  sexes.  One  of  these, 
beatifuUy  embroidered  in  gold,  silver  and  silk, 
was  purchased  by  Anna,  for  the  sum  of  twelve 
piastres.  Then  there  were  pedlars,  carrying  about, 
for  sale,  costly  spurs,  and  whips,  and  pistols,  and 
carabines,  and  luscious  preserved  fruits  and  pieces 
of  cloth,  all  about  the  town,  and  with  whom,  to- 
wards evening,  when  they  begin  to  grow  a  little 
tired,  some  very  good  bargains  can  be  made.  As 
for  the  shops,  they  contain,  as  is  usually  found, 
nothing  but  foreign  goods,  brought,  contraband, 
from  the   port   of  Mazatlan.     But  what    amused 

Anna  to  some  degree  of  astonishment,  was  an  ex- 
20 


232  ANNA   m   MEXICO. 

traordinary  fashion  of  gentlemen  on  horseback, 
going  into  the  shops  without  dismounting,  and  the 
very  impudent  swarms  of  beggars,  who,  following 
her  closely,  entered  with  herself,  and  seated  them- 
selves quietly  down  there,  without  the  shop-keep- 
ers being  able  to  get  them  out  by  force  or  persua- 
sion. 

But  it  was  now  time  to  see  about  the  extra 
escort ;  and,  as  Bochsa  had  anticipated,  Prefect 
and  Military  Commandant,  to  their  infinite  regret, 
were  obliged  to  inform  him  that  Leon  was  at  that 
moment,  and  would  continue  to  be  for  two  days  to 
come,  without  a  solitary  soldier,  or  even  a  police- 
man. So  that,  not  being  able  to  delay  their  jour- 
ney to  Guadalajara^  which  would  consume  a 
space  of  selVen  days  at  the  least,  the  artists  de- 
cided at  once  upon  the  fire-king's  retinue. 

How  Don  Pepe  SUva  and  his  men  would  relish 
this  arrangement  was  the  next  thing  to  be  con- 
sidered.  "What  would  they  say — they  who  had 
treated  the  Queretaro  police-force  with  such  con- 
tempt— at  now  being  mixed  up  with  circus  war- 
riors and  professed  clowns.  But  there  was  no 
alternative.      Prudence    exacted    the    precaution. 


ANNA   IN   MEXICO.  233 

Our  Maestro^  therefore,  gave  a  few  piastres  to  his 
secretary  to  present  to  Don  Pepe,  with  an  injunc- 
tion to  make  him  well  understand  that  Madam 
Anna  had  not  the  least  doubt  as  to  his  com'age 
and  valor — O,  no ! — but  that,  judging  from  what 
had  been  reported  in  the  town,  the  companionship 
of  a  few  additional  friends,  for  a  short  distance, 
would  not  be  amiss.  At  which,  Don  Pepe  Silva 
pocketed  the  money  with  a  smile  of  peculiar  dis- 
dain, repeating  several  times — "  muy  hien  !  muy 
■Men! — Senor  Secretario ! ''''  money  certainly  is 
magic,  and  will  do  all  sorts  of  earthly  impossi- 
bilities— especially  in  Mexico  ! 

For  example — a  foreigner,  having  a  claim 
against  the  Mexican  Government  for  a  veiy  large 
sum  of  money,  visited  the  Minister  of  Finance  to 
ascertain  when  the  debt  would  be  settled,  and 
whether  it  could  not  be  done  within  a  few  days. 
The  minister  instantly  conjured  up  numerous  diffi- 
culties, apparently  insurmountable,  convincing  the 
gentleman  that  the  thing  was  entirely  "  impos- 
sible." During  the  conversation,  however,  he 
observed  that  the  minister  repeatedly,  and  with  a 
mysteiious   emphasis,  lay   his   left  index   exactly 


234  ANNA   IN   MEXICO. 

across  the  middle  of  his  right  index,  which  the 
gentleman  finally  comprehending,  said  suddenly, 
looking  the  functionary  full  in  the  face,  "  Let 
it  be  so — agreed" — meaning  that  he  would  give 
him  the  half.  The  money  was  forthcoming  on 
the  same  day ! 

All  affairs  at  Leon  were  now  wound  up  with 
dispatch,  and  the  concert-receipts,  including  the 
soap,  deposited  in  due  form  at  the  banker's,  un- 
til the  return  of  our  artists.*  The  soap,  much  to 
the  regret  of  the  maestro,  promised  no  interest. 
But  the  exorbitant  demand  of  the  sick  printer 
was  reduced  to  just  one  half,  consequent  upon 
a  box  of  pills  prepared  and  presented  to  him  by 
the  medico  secretario.  Don  Luis  Cortes  had  ironed 
and  "  done  up"  several  of  Anna's  dresses,  a  branch 
of  business  which  had  now  become  one  of  the  most 
vital  importance  with  him,  and  for  which  he  had 


*  There  is  only  one  carriage-road  from  the  city  of  Mexico  to 
that  of  Guadalajara,  and  it  would  therefore  be  necessary  for  the 
party  to  return  to  the  metropolis  by  the  same  road  they  left  it. 
Beyond  Guadalajara,  on  the  way  to  Tepic,  San  Bias  and 
JMazatlan,  there  is  scarce  anything  more  than  a  foot-path  for 
horsemen  and  litters. — Ed. 


ANNA  IN  MEXICO.  235 

entirely  abandoned  that  of  brusliing  paletots.     And 

the  fire-king's  troupe,  being  secured  at  two  piastres 

a  head,   were   ordered  to   be   at  the  meson^  well 

mounted    and    armed,    by   seven   o'clock   on   the 

following  morning.     They  arrived  at  six,  a  little 

before   daylight ;   but,   as   in   Mexico   there  is  no 

twilight,  the  broad  day  bm'sting  at  once  upon  the 

darkest  night,  the  artists,  up  and  ready,  had  soon 

an    opportunity   to   observe   with   what   genus   of 

of  beings   Don   Pepe   Silva   and   Co.  were  to  be 

united  in  their  defence.     First,  there  was  the  tall, 

jovial  and  knowing  Yankee,  the  Mentor-general  of 

the  learned  pony,  mounted  on  a  huge  black  horse, 

who  saluted  Aima,  after  a  very  graceful  and  circus 

fashion,  the  moment  she  appeared  on  the  threshold. 

The  others  appeared  rather  motley  and  whimsical, 

having,  it  seemed,  made  indiscriminate  use  of  the 

fire-king's  theatrical  wardrobe  wherever  their  own 

had  been  found  deficient  as  to  quantity  or  striking 

effect.     One   of  them,    in   particular,  might  have 

played  clown  at  any  moment's  warning.     lie  wore 

a  sort    of    Grecian   cap,   large,  full,  soiled   white 

trowsers,  and  an  under  waistcoat,  once  red,  but  now 

of  a  pale   rose,   ornamented   with  tarnished  half- 
20* 


236  ANNA   IN   MEXICO. 

broken  spangles.  And  when  the  tidy  and  tight 
little  Don  Luis  Cortes,  sitting  smartly  on  his  little 
bay  horse,  looked  upon  the  man,  both  their  faces 
gradually  opened  with  the  broadest  kind  of  a  grin 
upon  each  other,  growing  in  intensity  and  ampli- 
tude, until  it  would  have  nonplussed  any  observer 
to  say  when  this  duetto  crescendo  grinendo  might 
come  to  a  conclusion,  but  for  the  word  "  Yamos .'"' 
pronounced  by  Bochsa  with  the  usual  startling  em- 
phasis, which  brought  to  order  even  the  Yankee 
chief,  who  had  just,  by  way  of  a  salute,  given  a 
thump  with  his  clenched  fist  into  the  back  of  Don 
Pepe  Silva,  nearly  knocking  that  dignified  func- 
tionary through  a  swift  somerset  off  his  horse. 

The  steeds  belonging  to  this  extra  escort  had  all 
been  educated  for  the  circus,  and,  in  consequence, 
understood  very  little  how  to  conduct  themselves 
on  such  sober  occasions ;  so  that,  on  leaving  the 
city  and  passing  through  the  Paseo^  a  part  of  which 
is  laid  out  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  two  or  three  of 
the  brutes  set  off  with  a  sudden  wildness  of  purj)ose, 
flying  round  and  round,  with  a  velocity  totally 
ungovernable.  Don  Pepe  Silva,  delighted  at  an 
opportunity  for  sarcasm,  burst  into  a  broad  guffaw ! 


ANNA   IN   MEXICO.  23-7 

while  the  other  Dons  joined  in  with  "  hravis  /"  and 
applause,  which  only  gave  fresh  speed  to  the  quad- 
rupeds, until  the  chief,  perceiving  that  such  scenes 
would  compromise  the  dignity  of  his  troupe,  barked 
out  a  short  slang  word  of  command,  and  order  was 
once  more  restored. 

During  the  journey,  divers  jokes  of  a  very  saga- 
cious and  facetious  pith  were  passed  between  the 
two  escorts,  Don  Pepe  Silva  and  Don  Luis  Cortes 
alone  preserving  a  staid,  serious  and  majestic  mien. 
The  Yankee  chief  was  from  Utica,  which  place  he 
had  not  seen  for  many  a  year,  having  traveled  all 
over  South  America,  And  many  a  droll  story  he 
recounted,  too,  of  his  travels,  interspersed  with 
"  Hail  Columbia"  and  the  "  Star-spangled  Banner," 
sung  in  a  powerful  tenor  voice,  and  playing  an 
imaginary  bass-drum  accompaniment  with  his 
hands  on  the  shoulders  of  Don  Pepe  Silva,  who 
repeatedly  glared  with  unexampled  ferocity  at  his 
confounding  impertinence ;  and,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  salutary  operation  of  the  piastres  given  him  the 
previous  night,  it  is  probable  he  would  have  return- 
ed the  joke  in  the  true  Mexican  spirit,  by  quietly 
blowing  the  joker's  brains  out. 


238  ANNA   IN   MEXICO. 

Finally,  the  party  arrived  at  the  liabcienda^* 
called  La  Lagunilla^  sixteen  miles  from  Leon^  and 
without  any  disagreeable  rencontre^  Anna's  honne 
etoile  still  beaming  in  all  its  brilliant  ascendancy. 
And  there  the  extra  escort,  receiving  their  stipulated 
pay,  with  a  few  glasses  of  excellent  cognac^  which 
Anna  had  directed  Cortes  to  distribute  amongst 
them,  prepared  to  take  leave.  The  chief  shook 
hands  heartily  with  Anna  and  Bochsa,  and,  pinch- 
ing Don  Pepe's  ear,  said, 

"Good  bye,  stranger!  Drop  us  a  line — eh? 
Hope  you  '11  come  to  Uticay  and  see  a  fellow  when 
you  get  time !  —  guess  you  '11  like  them  pesky 
Yankee   doodles,   arter   all!     Great   country,   sir! 


*  Hacienda — an  extensive  Mexican  farm.  Many  of  these  oc- 
cupy no  less  than  sixty,  one  hundred,  -or  even  tvi^o  hundred 
square  miles  of  ground,  belonging  to  rich  land  proprietors  re- 
siding generally  in  the  metropolis.  Each  hacienda  has  a  large, 
substantial,  and  sometimes,  very  handsome  building,  devoted 
entirely  to  farming  purposes.  The  extraordinary  numbers  of 
horses,  mules,  cows,  etc.,  covering  these  vast  half-cultivated 
fields — some  proprietors  possessing,  it  is  said,  upw^ards  of  one 
hundred  thousand  heads  of  cattle — the  absence  of  any  human 
being,  or  even  a  cottage  for  miles  around — the  chain  of  wild 
and  stupendous  mountains,  by  the  bold  girth   of  which  the  tra- 


ANNA   IN   IVIEXICO.  239 

Land  o'  the  free  and  home  o'  the  brave !  Give  iis 
a  lock  of  your  hair! — now  dew!  "What,  you  wxmtl 
Then  here  goes  !" — and  phicking  a  hair  from  Don 
Pepe's  horse's  tail,  which  made  the  animal  start  as 
if  shot,  the  grand  amphitheatrical  cavalcade  made 
off,  and  were  soon  out  of  sight,  leaving  Don  Pepe 
bristling  up  like  a  fighting-cock  under  the  indig- 
nity of  a  cut  comb. 

A  comfortable  lunch  was  now  set  forth  and 
disposed  of  by  the  travellers,  and  they  continued 
their  journey,  sleeping,  that  night,  at  Lagos,  a 
very  dull  and  deserted  city,  and  the  next  at  Agua 
del  OhispOy  a  poor  village,  and  the  following  at  San 
Juan  de  los  Lagos. 

This  small  town  lies  quite  at  the  bottom  of  a 
dee23  valley,  and  the  glittering  domes  of  its 
cathedral,  convents  and  churches,  as  seen  from  the 
surrounding  heights  above,  serve  to  form  a  coup 
deceit  of  the  most  picturesque  description.  This,  on 
the  present  occasion,  was  greatly  enhanced  and 
vivified  by  the  active  and  busy  preparations  for  the 

veller  seems  imprisoned  without  the  possibility  of  advancing 
further  on  his  way,  are,  to  a  stranger,  objects  of  peculiar  won- 
der and  astonishment, — Ed. 


240  ANNA   IN   IIEXICO. 

ensuing  fair.  Houses,  shops  and  bootlis  of  all  sizes 
were  in  course  of  erection  in  all  corners,  together 
with  a  circus  ;  while  large  cases  of  merchandize  of 
every  sort  filled  up  the  entire  streets.  The  resident 
inhabitants  were  crowding  out  of  their  homes  to  let 
them  at  round  prices  to  visitors,  and  peasants, 
black-legs  and  pick-pockets  were  already  on  the 
alert,  swarming  the  Plaza  and  arcades.  In  fact, 
Don  Luis  Cortes  subsequently  narrated  to  Anna 
and  Bochsa  a  very  funny,  ingenious  robbery  which 
came  off  there  on  the  very  evening  of  their  arrival. 
It  seemed  that,  among  the  dense  multitude  on  the 
Plaza^  there  was  o^paisano^  doubtless  a  stranger  to 
the  place  and  evidently  a  simple  fellow,  who  wore 
upon  his  shoulders  a  very  fine  and  costly  serajpc^ 
and  appeared  lost  in  wonder  at  everything  he  saw, 
when  he  experienced  a  violent  jerk  from  behind, 
and  therewith  found  his  serajye  transferred  by  some 
invisible  process  to  the  shoulders  of  a  nnichacho 
who  stood  at  his  back,  quietly  smoking  a  2>'^iro  and 
looking  perfectly  at  ease  on  the  scene  around  him  ! 
The  countryman  at  once  seized  the  boy  by  the  col- 
lar, called  to  the  police  and  elucidated  the  fact. 
But  the   muchacho^  with  the  utmost  coolness,  de- 


ANNA   IN   MEXICO.  241 

niecl  that  lie  knew  anything  whatever  of  the 
matter;  stating  that  the  serape  was  his  own 
property,  and,  by  way  of  proof,  showed  the  strings 
attached  to  the  under  side  of  the  garment  and 
which  served  to  adjust  it  to  his  body — strings 
which,  he  said,  he  had  fixed  there  himself  in-order 
that  he  might  not'  be  robbed  of  it !  The  country- 
man opened  his  eyes  to  a  perfect  circle,  unable  to 
express  by  speech  his  utter  stujDefaction ;  while  the 
muchaclio^  graciously  offering  him  a  cigar,  slowly 
and  leism-ely  sauntered  away,  enveloping  himself 
with  great  satisfaction  in  the  ample  folds  of  the 
bright-colored  seraj>e.  Cortes,  in  attempting  to  ac- 
count for  this  exploit,  gave  his  oj)inion  that  the 
countryman  had  put  on  the  serape  inside  out, 
presenting  the  strings  very  temj)tingly  to  the  view 
of  the  muchacTio^  who  had  simply  placed  his  back 
ujD  against  that  of  the  owner,  and  by  means  of  the 
strings,  wound  round  his  shoulders,  had  thus  whip- 
ped it  off  upon  his  own  body — at  which  Anna 
concluded  that  the  best  pantomime  tricks  were  not 
always  to  be  seen  at  Christmas. 

While  Cortes  was  preparing  dinner,  aided  by  el 
Serlor  Secretario^   who  had   assured   Bochsa  that, 


242  ANNA    IN   MEXICO. 

being  a  medico,  and  accustomed  to  the  mixing  of 
drugs,  he  was  not  the  less  up  to  the  concoction  of  a 
delicious  ragout — Anna  and  her  maestro  went  to 
see  the  cathedral,  and  to  look  at  what  was  going 
on  generally  in  the  town,  accompanied  by  two  of 
their  escort,  well  armed.  All  was  bustle,  con- 
fusion and  uproar.  Beardless  boys  in  the  shape  of 
military  trooj)s  were  parading  the  streets,  in  the 
wild  hope  of  keeping  order,  which  only  increased 
the  impossibility  of  the  thing ;  policemen  taking 
prisoners  at  every  step,  such  as  ragamuffins  who 
had  mistaken  other  people's  pO"ckets  for  their  own 
■ — but,  like  other  Mexican  Vidocqs,  keeping  shy 
of  the  gamblers'  dens,  opened  and  crammed  night 
and  day  with  armies  of  disgusting  and  filthy  beg- 
gars, who  are  certainly  the  most  impudent  set  in 
the  world.  Clerks,  too,  were  beginning  to  muster 
strong  behind  their  respective  counters,  with 
pistols  stuck  formidably  in  their  belts  f"  jpulque- 
ehops  crowded ;  wine  merchants  displaying  at  their 
doors  cases  of  claret,  champagne  and  madeira,  in 


*  A  custom,  it  seems,  quite  indispensable  during  this  ftiir, 
which  lasts  about  twenty  days. 


ANNA   IN   MEXICO.  243 

piles ;  fantastic  apothecaries'  shops  bottling  up 
deceitfully,  in  crystal  phials  of  a  thousand  brilliant 
hues,  the  loathsome  flavors  of  their  myriad  com- 
pounds ;  confectionaries  exhibiting  every  species 
of  rich  preserved  fruits,  ices,  syrups  and  French 
hon-hons  in  lavish  profusion — one  of  which  es- 
tablishments, by  the  way,  the  artists  entered. 
The  confectioner,  who  spoke  French,  struck  up  at 
once  a  lively  conversation  with  Bochsa,  while 
Anna  ransacked  the  shop  of  its  choicest  dolci^ 
giving  sundry  parcels  to  Don  Marco  and  Don  Gulio 
(her  two  gentlemen  at  arms),  to  be  taken  to  the 
meson,  filling  her  own  pockets  besides,  and  those 
of  her  maestro — for  she  well  knew  their  extent 
and  capacity.  Touching  the  fair — the  man  said 
that,  with  the  exception  of  those  of  Frankfort,  in 
Germany,  and  of  Nigney  Novogorod,  in  Russia, 
there  was  not  one  in  the  world  that  could  enter 
into  competition  with  the  fair  of  San  Juan  de  los 
Lagos,  in  point  of  method  and  enterprise  of  trafiic. 
It  seemed  that  this  obscure  and  insignificant  town 
had  been  chosen  by  merchants  on  account  of  its 

proximity  to  the  ports  of  San  Bias  and  Mazatlan^ 

21 


244  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

whence  foreign  goods  to  an  immense  extent  enter- 
ed Mexico  by  contraband.* 

Bocbsa  hereupon  inquired,  if  a  concert  or  two 
would  not  be  profitable  at  the  fair  ? — but  the  con- 
fectioner thought  not,  as  no  ladies  ever  attended  it, 
and  the  minds  of  the  merchants  were  bent  on  other 
things  ;  and,  moreover,  there  "could  be  no  room  for 
it,  the  few  spacious  ones  being  cut  up  into  small 
compartments,  barely  large  enough  for  a  bed  and 
one  chair,  for  the  purpose  of  accommodating  the 
thousands  that  were  expected  to  put  up  there. 

Anna  was  now  anxious  to  return  home,  and 
make  a  plum-pudding  for  dinner  ;  and,  on  their 
arrival  at  the  meson^  they  found  Don  Pepe,  Don 
Luis  Cortes  and  the  secretary  violently  disputing 
with  the  woman  who  had  charge  of  the  Fonda^ 
and  who  wished  to  be  paid  for  all  the  luxuries  they 
had  brought  forth  from  the  great  net  larder,  under 
the   melon,   into   the   kitchen,  just    the   same    as 

*It  would  seem,  from  the  fact  of  the  Mazatlan  Governor  being 
on  one  occasion  offered  the  sum  of  80,000  piastres  for  his  situ- 
ation for  a  few  months,  that  the  authorities  are  not  total  stran- 
gers to  these  contraband  operations.  How  is  this,  Escelentisimo 
Prendente  de  la  Republica  mexicMna  ? — Ed. 


AKNA   IN    MEXICO.  245 

though  she  had  been  buying  them  herself  for  the 
regalement  of  her  guests ! — and,  to  all  their  remon- 
strances,- she  only  replied,  with  a  most  impertm-b- 
able  air,  that  this  was  the  only  profitable  season 
of  the  year  to  her,  and  people  coming  to  the  fair 
must  spend  money,  and  those  who  had  n't  any 
money  had  better  not  trouble  others,  and  much 
better  stay  at  home !  At  which  Bochsa,  perceiv- 
ing that  the  kitchen  fire  was  going  out  in  the  heat 
of  this  discussion,  and  feeling  that  his  dinner  was 
indispensable  to  his  comfort,  gave  some  money  to 
the  woman,  and  further  purchased  some  of  her  ex- 
cellent fish,  and  by  that  manoeuvre  her  temper 
was  materially  appeased,  and,  soon  afterwards,  the 
appetites  of  the  hungry  artists. 

The  next  morning,  after  paying  triple  the  usual 
prices  for  the  bed-rooms,  the  musical  wanderers 
left  Sa7i  Juan  de  los  Lagos^  and,  ascending  the 
road,  which  was  in  a  very  good  condition,  they 
looked  down  for  the  last  time  upon  the  scene  be- 
low. 

The  surrounding  hill-sides  were  covered  with 
tents  and  topless  booths,  and  appeared  like  the  en- 
campment of  a  great  army.     The  roads  were  filled 


246  ANNA   m   MEXICO. 

up  with  arj'ieros,  and  innumerable  mules  loaded 
down  with  wares  ;  and  Indians,  for  miles  around, 
carrying   mosaic   towers   of    mats,    tables,    chairs, 
'baskets  and  earthen  pots  of  the  oddest  conceivable 
shapes,  on  their  heads  ;  and  ptclque  pigs  jammed 
anyhow  into  clumsy  Mexican  carts,  the  wheels  of 
which,  to  this  day,  consist  simply  of  rude,  trans- 
verse cuttings  from  tree  trunks,  with  a  hole  in  the 
centre ;    caballeros,  on   richly  caparisoned   horses, 
enveloped  in  costly  serajpes  and  followed  by  half 
dressed,  but  well   armed,   servants ;    carriages   of 
every  description,  and  diligenGias  innumerable* — 
all  on  their  way  to  the  famous  fair  of  San  Juan. 
Every  hut,  from  Leon  to   Guadalajara^  had  been 
transformed  into  a  Fonda,  inviting  travellers   to 
stop,  through  the  savory  flavor  oifrijoles  and  torti- 
llas, all  hot  and  ready,  as  they  hither  wended  their 
journey.     Here  and  there,  old  wonien,  under  trees, 
were  selling  sugar  canes,  immense  radishes,  and 
onions,  which  were  particularly  patronized  by  the 
Dons  of  Anna's  escort. 


*  Several  diligencias  are  daily  sent  from  Guadalajara  during 
this  fair. — Ed. 


A2JNA   IN    MEXICO.  247 

The  scene  they  had  left  was  such  as  they  never 
expected  to  behold  again.  The  pencil  of  Hogarth 
or  Teniers  could  never  have  reached  it.  Shouts  of 
mirth  and  merriment,  that  almost  intoxicated  the 
ear,  gave  ceaseless  music  to  the  revellings  of  the 
hour.  The  life  of  a  world  seemed  concentrated 
into  that  wild  focus  of  conflicting  action — that 
gidf  of  human  passions,  each  carousing  in  its  un 
curbed  freedom,  as  though  they  would  challenge 
death  itself  to  cast  a  chill  upon  the  fervid  intensity 
of  their  being.  "We  will  leave  them,  then,  for  the 
present,  to  their  fate,  and  follow  our  travellers 
upon  the  road. 

From  time  to  time,  patrols  of  armed  men  were 
seen  in  the  woods  and  about  the  road-sides,  as  a 
protection  against  Ladrones.  These  consisted  of 
farmers  in  a  small  way  and  inhabitants  of  little 
villages  on  the  route,  who  are  paid  so  much  per 
diem  by  the  State  of  Jalisco.^ 

Having  passed  through  Jaloscotitlan^  San  Mi- 
guel^ Tejpatitlan  Tierra  Colorada^  (where  Bochsa's 


*  San  Juan  de  los  Lagos  and  Guadalajara  are  both  situated  in 
Jalisco,  the  latter  city  being  the  capital  of  that  State.— tEd. 
21* 


248  ANNA   IN    MEXICO. 

secretary  left  him  to  take  the  diligencia  in  advance 
of  Anna  towards  Guadalajara^  as  also  Puerta 
Grande^  all  places  of  minor  importance,  but  re- 
lieved from  their  usual  dulness  by  the  coming  fair, 
the  party  reached  the  Puerta  of  the  beautiful  city 
of  Guadalajara  on  "Wednesday,  the  15th  Novem- 
ber, after  a  journey  of  seven  days. 


GUADALAJARA 

Previous  to  entering  the  city,  they  passed  the 
village,  or  rather  the  small  and  attractive  town  of 
San  Pedro^  with  its  elegant  little  country  seats, 
the  residences  of  the  Guadalajaran  fashionables, 
backed  by  large  and  well  cultivated  gardens,  filled 
with  orange,  lemon  and  apple  trees,  forming  a 
most  charming  picture.  On  leaving  this  hijou  of 
a  place,  a  fine,  well-levelled  avenue,  of  nearly  three 
miles  in  length,  bi'ought  the  artists  safely  to  the 
city  of  Guadalajara^  where  they  threaded  the 
spacious  Paseo^  and  finally  brought  up  at  the 
Tneson  already  provided  by  the  secretary  for  their 
reception.  He  then  informed  Bochsa,  that,  while 
awaiting  their  anival,  he  had  understood  the  lady 
proprietress  of  the  theatre  (which  turned  out  to  be 
a  theatre,  and  not  a  cock-pit,)  had  been  attacked 
by  a  violent  cold,  and  that  he  had  fortunately,  by 
11* 


^ 


260  ANNA  IN  MEXICO. 

the  administration  of  some  cough-drops,  so  secured 
her  good  will  that  he  had  obtained  the  theatre, 
scenery,  cushions*  and  all,  for  thirty  piastres  per 
night !  That  secretary  must  have  been  invaluable. 
And  now,  he  further  impressed  upon  Bochsa  the 
necessity  of  giving  the  first  two  concerts  at  once, 
and  without  loss  of  time,  as  large  numbers  of  the 
principal  merchants  were  soon  to  leave  town  for 
the  great  fair,  and  their  families  could  not  be  seen 
in  public  without  them. 

The  first  step,  then,  was  to  procure  a  comfortable 
private  house  for  Anna's  residence,  as  a  meson 
would  not  do  for  her  in  a  city  like  Cruadalajara ; 
and  besides,  her  sojourn  there  would  be  of  some 
duration.  And  here,  again,  the  fashionable 
apothecary-shop  was  of  vast  utility,  as  its  pro- 
prietor, Seiior  Ocampo,  immediately  offered  an 
unfurnished  jpalazio  which  he  'had  to  let  in  the 
fashionable  quarter  of  the  town,  at  the  rate  of  forty 
piastres   per  month.     Bochsa   concluded  the  bar- 


*  It  will  be  remetobered  that  the  pit-cushions,  in  Mexico,  are 
never  let  with  the  theatre,  but  remain  as  a  speculation  for  the 
managers. — Ed. 


1  - 


AifNA    IN   MEXICO.  251 

gain  upon  the  instant ;  and  further  learning,  from 
the  apothecary-shop,  of  course,  that  there  was  an 
English  upholsterer  in  the  city,  where  furniture 
could  be  hired,  thither  posted  the  lively  maestro, 
and  selected  at  once  all  that  was  necessary  to 
furnish  with  elegance  some  half  a  dozen  spacious 
rooms,  (for  the  salon  alone  would  contain  upwards 
of  a  hundred  persons,)  besides  servants  and  other 
needful  attendants — the  whole  at  the  amazing 
average  of  one  piastre  per  diem !  What,  more 
strongly  than  this  beggar's  price,  could  bespeak 
the  wretched  financial  state  of  a  large  city !  And 
thus,  just  twenty-four  hours  after  her  arrival,  Anna 
found  herself  mistress  of  a  superb  and  fashionably 
appointed  jpalazio^  one  of  the  finest  in  that  whole 
city  of  palaces,  and  at  an  expense  of  a  little  more 
than  two  piastres  per  day.  And  Don  Pepe  Silva 
and  his  men,  taking  possession  of  the  extensive 
suite  of ,  apartments  over  the  coach-houses  and 
stables — which  latter  could  accommodate  at  least 
twenty  horses — there  was  not  a  nabob  in  the  place 
could  boast  at  that  time  more  sumptuous  grandeur 
of  establishment,  or  a  more  satisfactory  scale  of 
general  comfort,  than  did  Anna,  the  idol  of  the 
people  and  the  prima  donna  of  the  world. 


252  -  ANNA    m   MEXICO. 

The  city  of  Guadalajara  was  discovered  to  be 
second  only  to  the  metropolis  in  point  of  elegance, 
and  contained  a  much  larger  population  than  at 
present.  The  streets  are  of  great  width,  and  most  • 
of  the  houses,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  numerous 
magnificent  squares,  are  like  the  residences  of 
kings.  The  churches  and  convents  are  but  little 
inferior  in  splendor  to  those  of  the  capital ;  and 
the  cathedral  is  adorned  with  two  fine-toned  organs, 
standing  imposingly,  right  and  left,  in  the  aisles. 
As  for  the  famous  suspension  gardens,  so  very 
much  talked  about  in  divers  books  on  Mexico, 
Anna  looked  for  them,  but  in  vain;  though  her 
disappointment  was,  in  a  measure,  alleviated  by  the 
sight  of  the  beautiful  parterres  of  choice  flowers 
which  occupy  the  com't-yards  and  landing-places 
ot  all  the  principal  mansions  of  this  gorgeous  city. 
The  shops  are  as  well  furnished  as  those  of  the 
metropolis,  and  quantities  of  booths,  in  all  parts  of 
the  town,  arrest  the  attention  of  purchasers  by  their 
display  of  rich  serapes  and  rehosos,  made  in 
Guadalajara,  and  fine  laces  worked  by  the  female 
prisoners  of  the  penitentiary.  In  these  marts,  "  cd 
fresco^''  all  sorts  of  garments  for  the  lower  classes 
are  sold,  and,  strange  to  tell,  are  manufactured  in 


ANNA  IN  MEXICO,  2'53 

England  expressly  for  these  Mexican  dealers. 
According  to  Anna's  recommendation,  strangers 
going  to  Guadalajara,  and  wishing  to  gain  an 
insight  into  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people, 
should  not  forget  to  visit  El  Marcota  de  San 
Aiigustin^  and  the  spacious  factory  of  rebosos^ 
which  occupies  one  of  the  most  splendid  jpalazios 
of  the  city.  It  is  the  property  of  General 
Yanderlinden,  and  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Duprat,  a  most  polite  and  deserving  French 
gentleman,  who  treated  the  artists  with  the  utmost 
kindness. 

Guadalajara  must  have  been,  in  the  time  of  the 
Spaniards,  a  place  of  great  opulence,  and  the 
residence  of  many  of  the  first  nobility  in  the  land. 
]Srow,  although  perhaps  it  exhibits  less  evidence  of 
its  decadence  than  any  other  of  the  Mexican  cities, 
on  account  of  its  commercial  importance — though 
its  Paseo^  some  three  times  a  week  in  the  after- 
noon, and  the  grand  Plaza^  every  evening,  are 
much  frequented  and  enjoyed — still  it  is  but  a 
mere  shadow  of  what  it  was.  The  national 
costumes,  so  far  as  Anna  observed  them,  were 
much  the  same  as  those  she  had  elsewhere  seen : 


254  ANNA   IN   MEXICO. 

though  the  lower  orders  appeared  much  more 
intelligent  and  civil. 

At  the  period  of  the  arrival  of  the  artists  at 
Guadalajara,  there  were  two  newsj)apers  in  the 
city — an  article  which  they  had  not  found  at  Ceila- 
ya,  the  Yalle  or  at  Leon.  During  their  sojourn, 
however.  La  Voce  de  Alicnsa,  an  official  publica- 
tion, was  suj)pressed  by  the  Police,  and  LJl  Nene 
{The  Dwarf)  was  expected  soon  to  share  the  same 
fate. 

Meanwhile,  Mess.  Escorza  and  Gen.  Querene, 
the  Governor  and  Military  Commandant  of  the 
State,  and  Colonel  Gay,  with  his  distinguished 
lady,  and  a  host  of  other  equally  prominent  people, 
came  to  visit  Anna  and  solicit  her  company  at 
their  mansions.  Nothing,  in  fact,  was  spoken  of 
but  Anna  the  cantatrice  ;  and  when  she  practised 
in  her  drawing-room  the  streets  were  crowded  in 
front  of  her  palazio  by  the  eager  populace,  some 
of  whom  climbed  to  the  iron  bars  of  her  window 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  her,  while  old  women  knelt  un- 
der the  casement,  as  if  awed  by  the  voice  of  some 
supernatural  creation. 

At  the  earliest  available  moment,  every  place 


ANNA   IN   MEXICO.  255 

for  Anna's  first  concert  costume  was  seized  upon 
with  tlie  greatest  avidity!;  And,  notwithstanding, 
Bochsa  found  the  orchestra  verj  weak  and  incom- 
plete— in  spite  of  the  assurance  of  the  professor 
who  let  them  out,  to  the  effect  that  Mad.  Anna 
Bishop  would  be  accompanied  nearly  as  well  as  in 
Europe — it  was  the  best  he  could  procure,  and  the 
afiair  came  off  on  the  22d  of  November,  and  the 
theatre,  to  the  very  ceiling,  was  one  mass  of  hu- 
man heads,  save  where  the  fronts  of  the  balconies, 
there  being  no  balustrades,  displayed  the  exquisite 
full  toilettes  of  the  ladies,  who  had  certainly  attired 
themselves  with  the  greatest  taste,  the  majority  of 
them  having  costly  bouquets,  with  which  they 
showered  Anna  the  moment  she  appeared  upon  the 
stage.  All  her  scenas  were  encored,  and  the  in- 
terim filled  up  by  constantly  keeping  her  before 
the  curtain.  To  the  Homanza  from  Lucrezia 
Borgia^  "  Com'e  bello,"  she  added  the  new,  and 
extremely  difficult,  camatina^  which  Donizetti  com- 
posed for  Grisi,  in  Paris,  and  never  sung  in  the 
United  States  except  by  Anna.  The  olMgato  Gen- 
naro^  sleeping  on  a  bench,  was,   "  for  that  night 

only,"  represented  by  Don  Luis  Cortes,  smothered 

2'» 


256'  AJ^NA   IN   MEXICO. 

up  in  a  black  Yenetian  domino,  made  by  Don 
Marco,  the  ci-devant  tailor,  who  certainly  played 
his  part  au  naturel  /  for,  long  after  the  scena  was 
over,  and  the  curtain  down,  he  was  still  found  on 
the  bench,  snoring  like  any  ten  Genearos,  doubt- 
less little  dreaming  of  his  very  wretched  mother 
Lucrezia,  or  of  the  peculiar  delights  of  a  hal  mas- 
que at  Venice. 

During  the  entr  ''actes  of  this  first  performance, 
the  box-office  had  been  besieged  for  tickets  for  the 
second  ;  and,  by  the  time  the  audience  had  left  the 
theatre,  the  house  was  again  bought  up,  and  at 
prices  materia,lly  augmented. 

On  the  occasion  of  that  second  Dramatic  Con- 
cert, by  way  of  a  surprise,  Bochsa  was  very  desir- 
ous of  giving  the  grand  scena  of  "Casta  Diva" 
from  Norma^  but  scarce  knew  how  to  manage  it,  for 
lack  of  company — it  being  necessary  that  the  grand 
priest  Oroveso  and  the  Druids  should  all  be  on  the 
stage  at  once.  At  last,  Bochsa  conceived  the  hap- 
py idea  of  dressing  up  the  men  of  his  escort  in 
robes  of  white  calico,  cut  by  Anna  herself,  and 
made  by  Don  Marco,  and  Druidize  them  for  the  oc- 
casion.   The  cocJiero  major  Alvarado,  who  was  a 


ANNA   IN   MEXICO.  257 

tall,  stout,  good-looking  fellow  with  a  black  beard, 
was  instructed  in  the  part  of  Oroveso.  Bochsa  bad 
explained,  at  the  rehearsal,  what  the  new  artists 
were  to  do  ;  that  is,  simply,  on  the  rise  of  the  cur- 
tain, to  enter  upon  the  stage  with  slow  dignity,  in 
pairs,  headed  by  Oroveso,  and,  ranging  themselves 
on  one  side  of  ISTorma's  altar,  to  remain  there  per- 
fectly quiet  and  speechless  until  the  fall  of  the 
curtain.  On  the  evening  of  the  performance  Boch- 
sa himself  dressed  the  men,  crowned  them  with 
orange-branches  cut  fresh  from  the  fragrant  trees 
in  the  garden  of  the  palace  occupied  by  Anna,  and 
surveying  them  with  some  pride,  went  into  the  or- 
chestra to  direct  the  overtm'e.  Soon  the  cm^tain 
rose,  and  the  troujpe  came  on  in  strict  accordance 
with  all  instructions.  But,  oh,  what  a  sight  was 
there  for  the  most  classical  and  punctilious  Boch- 
sa !  In  the  belt  of  Oroveso  were  stuck  two  huge 
pistols,  while  a  long  cavalry  sword  swung  dangling 
at  his  side,  followed  up  by  the  Druids,  armed  with 
carabines  and  lances,  and  the  whole  crowned  with 
triumphant  Mexican  colors.  Bochsa  felt  faint  ! 
He  was  in  dismay — and  at  an  utter  loss  what  to 
do ;  for  it  was   too  late  to  stop  the  march  or  to 


258  ANNA   IN   MEXICO. 

remedy  the  absurdity.  On  came  Anna,  who  stared 
at  the  ridiculous  spectacle,  and  burst  into  a  fit  ot 
screaming  mirth,  obliging  Bochsa,  in  his  perspiring 
distress,  to  repeat  the  march,  ere  she  could  pos- 
sibly compose  herself  to  undertake  the  sediziosi 
voci  ! 

It  subsequently  appeared  that  the  Druids,  during 
the  overture,  concluded  that,  in  their  double  capa- 
city of  escarte  and  Mexican  militaries,  they  could 
not,  with  propriety,  present  themselves  before  the 
public  without  their  accustomed  arms,  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day.  This  they  not  only  thought  was 
perfectly  right  but  added  wonderfully  to  their 
general  a2)pearance.  And  the  best  of  the  joke 
was,  that  few  of  the  audience  perceived  the  ana- 
chronistic error,  but  rather  seemed  to  think  that 
the  arms  and  Mexican  colors,  relieved  uj)  by  white 
calico,  had  an  effect  they  had  rarely  seen  sm-j)ass- 
ed  on  any  stage. 

After  a  third  concert,  quite  as  gratifying  to  the 
artists  as  the  two  preceding  ones,  Anna  was 
prevailed  upon  to  remain  until  after  the  fair — 
whither  the  leading  residents  of  the  city  had,  ac- 
cording to  custom,  repaired — and  then  to  resume  her 


^^'/^^) 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  259 

performances.  By  that  time,  too,  Bochsa's  "  old 
lady"  would  have  arrived,  if  not  broken  to  pieces, 
and  there  was  no  little  anxiety  to  hear  the  famous 
harpist  of  Napoleon.  Besides,  the  weather,  al- 
though at  the  extreme  end  of  iN^ovember,  was  as  de- 
lightful as  an  Italian  May ;  and  Anna's  palo.zio  was, 
all  in  all,  as  delicious  a  retreat  from  her  fatigues 
and  excitement  as  she  could  well  desire.'  And 
then,  a  very  select  and  agreeable  society  of  ladies 
and  gentlemen  were  always  mtx  jpetis  soins  to 
make  her  happy,  and  she  saw  no  reason  why 
she  should  n't  be.  Consequently,  she  remained, 
visiting  with  Bochsa  all  the  public  buildings  and 
driving  out  every  day  to  the  Paseo  in  the  big 
Pompadour  coach,  to  the  great,  but  very  good- 
natured,  merriment  of  her  friends,  its  rough  rope 
harness  and  the  piles  of  old  scrapes,  covering  up 
the  true  state  of  the  saddles  of  Don  Alvarado  and 
Don  Mariano,  contrasting  forcibly  with  the  light 
elegance  of  the  foreign  vehicles  and  richly-capari- 
soned steeds  of  the  caballeros — and  thus  going  about, 
and  seeing  everything  and  everybody  worthy  of 
note. 

Among  the  "  sights"  was  the  spectacle  of  a  grand 
22* 


260  ANNA    IN   MEXICO. 

religious  procession,  which  had  been  set  fol'th  to 
parade  through  the  principal  streets  of  the  city ; 
and,  of  course,  Anna  and  Bochsa  failed  not  to 
secure,  in  good  season,  an  eligible  situation  near 
the  grand  square  to  have  a  full  view  of  it,  from' 
that  inestimable  coach.  On  these  occasions,  the 
streets  through  which  the  procession  is  to  pass  are 
lined  with  police  and  soldiers ;  and  the  strips  of 
flag-stones  that  ribbon  the  middle  of  the  pave- 
ments are  overshadowed  by  narrow  lengths  of 
white  awning,  attached  by  ropes  or  garlands  to  the 
houses  on  either  side,  so  arranged  as  not  to  pre- 
vent the  inmates  from  beholding  from  the  windows 
the  great  pageant,  which  is  rendered  still  more 
brilliant  and  imposing  by  the  never-clouded  radi- 
ance of  a  Mexican  sun.  Balconies  and  tops  of 
dwellings  are,  likewise,  gaily  decorated  with 
blooming  flowers  and  a  gorgeous  display  of  silk 
flags,  ladies'  shawls,  rich  Chinese  embroidered 
counterpanes,  etc.,  etc. 

This  marvellous  cortege  was  first  -  announced  by 
the  rolling  of  drums,  stunning  peals  of  bells, 
thundering  of  guns,  crackers,  and  rockets,  and  a 
general  yelling  of  the  populace ;  to  say  nothing  of 


ANNA    IN   MEXICO.  261 

crazy  bands  of  music,  playing  polkas  and  waltzes 
all  at  the  same  time  !  Then  a  strong  military  force 
made  its  appearance,  followed  hard  up  by  all  the 
authorities  of  the  city,  and  the  high  functionaries 
of  the  churches,  apparently  sinking  under  the 
weight  of  golden  sacerdotal  robes,  and  surrounded 
by  legions  of  Jesuits,  friars  and  monks,  in  red, 
blue,  white,  black  and  yellow  gowns.  Then  there 
appeared  boys,  and  lejperos  singing  and  holding- 
torches,  and,  soon  after  these,  the  great  feature  of 
the  show  in  the  shape  of  one  dozen  wax  figures, 
attired  in  the  most  superb  and  fantastic  fashion, 
male  and  female,  as  at  Queretaro — whereupon  all 
animated  heads  were  instantly  uncovered,  knees 
bent  to  the  earth,  and  solemn  silence  took  the  place 
of  the  general  uproar  of  the  multitude.  Anna  and 
Bochsa — much  to  the  discomfort  of  the  inaestro — 
were,  of  course,  obliged  to  kneel  likewise,  in  con- 
formity with  the  custom,  on  the  floor  of  the  coach. 
Meanwhile  the  wax  figures,  whose  heads,  eyes 
and  mouths  moved  in  the  most  startling  manner, 
and  whose  bodies  were  nailed  fast  to  the  splendid 
lofty  palanquins  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  athletic 
men — passed   along;   and  Bochsa,   who   was    not 


262  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

very  deeply  engaged  in  praying,  and  had  a  great 
desire  to  see  "what  was  going  on,  ventured  to  raise  his 
head  gently.  But  what  did  he  see  ?  A  fine  she-doll, 
with  an  embroidered  crimson-velvet  robe,  her  neck 
and  arms  covered  with  diamonds  and  pearls  of  great 
value,  —  but  minus  her  head  !  That  is  to  say,  that 
very  important  part  of  the  person,  instead  of  occupy- 
ing its  natural  position,  was  dangling  on  her  left 
arm,  attached  by  pretty  rose-colored  ribbon,  vei'y 
much  in  the  fashion  ladies  generally  wear  their 
ridicules.  Bochsa,  anxious  to  know  the  history 
of  this  unfortunate  female,  sent  Alfred  (the  invalua- 
ble secretary),  as  soon  as  the  cortege  was  out  of 
sight,  to  the  nearest  apothecary's  shop,  to  make 
some  inquiries.  He  here  ascertained  that,  early  in 
the  morning,  the  men  engaged  in  dressing  up  the 
whole  troupe,  being  very  much  hurried,  and  com- 
pelled to  handle  the  holy  actors  rather  roughly, 
found  that  the  weather,  which  was  very  hot,  had 
melted  the  glue  with  which  the  head  was  fastened  to 
the  neck  —  leaving  the  body  in  their  hands,  while  the 
head  went  rolling  and  bouncing  about  the  floor,  to 
the  horror  and  dismay  of  the  dressers.  At  length 
they  succeeded  in  catching  it  and  securing  it  safely 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  263 

under  a  large  board.  The  time  fixed  for  the  show 
was  rapidly  approaching,  and  there  was  no  time  to 
glue  the  head  on  again.  What  was  to  be  done  ? 
A  consultation  of  Padri  was  hastily  summoned ; 
and,  after  much  grave  discussion,  it  was  finally 
resolved  that,  for  the  first  and  only  time,  the  head 
60  unluckily  displaced  would,  on  this  grand  occasion, 
appear,  —  not  in  its  proper  position,  crowning  the 
body  of  the  saint,  but  in  another  and  less  dignified, 
though  perhaps  more  efi"ective  attitude,  as  has  been 
previously  described. 

On  these  festival  days,  as  in  the  metropolis,  every 
kind  of  work  is  suspended,  and  all  the  shops  are  shut 
up.  Innumerable  fire-works ;  incessant  explosions 
of  crackers  and  goings-off  of  rockets ;  illuminations 
in  all  quarters  of  the  city,  especially  at  the  churches; 
hard  drinking  of  Pulque  and  Mexican  gin ;  keep 
the  lower  classes  from  home  the  whole  evening  and 
a  greater  part  of  the  night  —  while  the  genteel  people 
promenade  in  the  vicinity  of  some  favorite  church, 
in  the  dim  rays  of  curiously-colored  paper  lanterns, 
whose  soft,  mysterious  light  invites  to  romantic  and 
sentimental  conversation,  disturbed  only  by  the  faint ' 
and  distant  sounds  of  small  Indian  drums  and  fifes. 


264  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

A  scene  so  dreamy  and  romantic  as  this,  naturally 
recalled  to  Anna  all  she  had  read  about  duenas  — 
characters  which  figure  so  extensively  in  Spanish 
romance,  and  doubtless  in  real  life  as  well.  She 
therefore  inquired  of  some  of  her  fair  acquaintances 
if  such  souhrettes  were  common  in  Mexico. 

"Oh  no,  no!"  answered  one,  with  an  arch  look; 
"our  fans  and  cigaritos  do  the  tiling!" 

It  is  unfortunate  that  in  all  the  books  written  upon 
Mexico,  truth  is  so  systematically  disregarded.  The 
imagination  of  the  writers,  dazzled  by  the  romance 
of  the  extraordinary  epochs  of  Montezuma  and 
Cortez,  and  by  that  heavenly^  and  intoxicating  cli- 
mate, revel  in  a  world  of  fantasies,  speaking  con- 
tinually of  things  belonging  to  other  times,  and 
never  condescending  to  leave  the  lofty  regions  of 
imagination,  and  to  see  and  relate  facts  as  they  are. 
It  is  true  that  the  huge  iron  bars  which  adorn  the 
windows  of  all  Mexican  houses,  as  in  Havana,  make 
one  think  of  desolate  senoritas  under  lock  and  key, 
of  guitar-lovers  serenading  their  dulcineas  in  the 
street,  faute  de  mieux ;  of  crusty  old  Bartolos, 
shrewd  Figaros,  and  complaisant  duenas ;  but  after 
all,  this  prison-like  discipline  and  formidable  para- 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  265 

phernalia  is  indispensable,  as  a  protection  against 
robbers  —  a  fact,  of  which  a  brief  residence  in  the 
country  would  be  sufficient  to  convince  the  most 
sceptical. 

:(C  5l<  *  *  *  * 

The  next  spectacle  Anna  attended  was  Los 
ToRROS,.  or  the  bull-fights.  The  arena,  an  immense 
uncovered  space,  contained  an  audience  of  at  least 
two  thousand,  the  greater  part  being  ladies  and 
women  of  the  middle  classes.  The  price  of  admis- 
sion was  a  dollar  per  head,  and  neat  boxes  had  been 
erected  over  the  surrounding  gardens.  The  an- 
nouncement bill  was  quite  theatrical  —  the  principal 
bull  being  lauded  and  dubbed  "e?  celehr-e"  at  the  top, 
as  our  great  stars  are :  then  it  was  announced  that 
in  the  entracts  (!)  eminent  clowns  "  from  the  prin- 
cipal royal  arenas  of  Spain,"  would  perform  favorite 
comic  scenes,  and  the  author  [videlicit  manager) 
would  execute  some  extraordinary  feats  of  horseman- 
ship. So  many  descriptions  of  bull-fighting  have 
been  written,  every  where  and  by  all  sorts  of  people, 
that  it  is  useless  to  dwell  here  upon  this  national  and 
barbarous  amusement.  However,  Anna  could  not 
help  remarking  that  the  women  seeemed  his'hly  ex- 


266  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

cited,  and  that  the  deafening  cries  of  ^^  Bravo  torros! 
hravo  cavalos  !  mui  Men  cavalier os  !''  animating  and 
rendering  almost  frantic  men  and  beasts  engaged  in 
the  fight,  proceeded  mostly  from  the  tender  sex. 
Our  artists  did  not  stay  long,  and  were  obliged  to 
return  on  foot,  as  mules  and  melon  had  been  aban- 
doned in  the  street  by  the  Dons,  who  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  of  assisting  at  their  favorite  spectacle, 
nor  imagine  for  an  instant  that  Anna  could  be  so 
deficient  in  taste  as  to  leave  the  arena  before  all 
was  over.  Four  bulls  were  killed,  but  no  horses ; 
and  the  torreadores  did  not  seeem  hurt  at  all. 


HOW  ANNA  LEARNED   TO   SING   IN 
MEXICAN. 

In  every  country  Anna  had  visited  she  had  made  it 
a  point  to  sing  in  the  national  language  and  costume 
of  the  people  among  whom  she  found  herself.  She 
wished  much  to  do  the  same  thing  in  Mexico  —  par- 
ticularly as  the  dress  of  a  muchacha  (woman  of  the 
middle  class)  is  very  pretty  and  picturesque.  But 
where  to  find  a  genuine  Mexican  song  ?  —  this  was 
the  difficulty.  Little  Spanish  airs  for  the  lower 
classes,  and  Italian  cavatinas  for  the  senoritas,  were 
all.  the  music  that  could  be  heard  of,  and  no  such 
thing  as  a  music-seller  in  Guadalajara ! 

In  this  dilemma,  Luis  Cortez,  in  his  capacity  of 
dame  d'atours  (and  he  really  was  very  useful  to 
Anna  in  the  selection  and  preparation  of  her  cos- 
tumes), had  ingratiated  himself  so  much  with  our 
artists,  that  he  was  admitted  into  the  consultation  on 
this    important   occasion.      He    professed   to   be   ac- 

23  (267) 


268  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

quainted  with  two  or  three  itinerant  Mexican  musi- 
cians, and  that  he  would  bring  them  to  Anna. 
Accordingly  the  next  morning  they  came.  There 
were  three  of  them,  each  with  his  instrument  — 
two  being  mandolins,  or  guitars  with  wire  strings, 
and  the  other  a  small  harp,  not  unlike  the  tra- 
ditional harp  of  the  Irish,  though  smaller.  They 
played  various  pieces ;  but  they  were  all  bits  of 
Spanish  boleros,  and  (an  odd  enough  coincidence) 
resembling  so  much  the  WelsJi  music,  that  Bochsa 
soon  dismissed  them,  seeing  that  they  would  be  of 
no  avail  for  Anna's  purposes.  He  gave  them  a  few 
piastres ;  but  the  harper,  spying  a  big  harp  in  one 
corner  of  the  room,  (it  was  that  of  Bochsa,  which 
had  arrived  the  day  before,)  insisted  on  hearing  the 
maestro  play  —  saying  (as  interpreted  by  the  secre- 
tary) that,  as  they  had  performed  for  the  amusement 
of  Bochsa,  they  expected  the  gordo  cavaliero  to  do 
the  same  for  them.  Bochsa,  much  annoyed,  but  not 
wishing  to  have  a  quarrel  —  a  thing  very  easily  got 
up  with  such  people  —  sat  down  to  the  harp ;  but, 
seeing  the  men  making  preparations  to  dance  a 
bolero  to  his  harp-playing,  he  began  preluding  in  his 
most  scientific  style  —  entering  deeply  into   all  the 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  269 

labor  of  heavy  modulations,  and  taking  particular 
care  not  to  play  a  single  bar  of  melody.  The  men, 
"who  had  begun  dancing,  stopped  in  astonishment  — 
waited  for  a  tune  —  tried  once  more,  but  in  vain. 
Thus  the  mischievous  maestro  kept  them  for  some 
ten  minutes,  sometimes  on  one  leg,  sometimes  on  the 
other,  looking  very  foolish  and  ridiculous.  At  length 
they  departed,  shrugging  their  shoulders,  and  appa- 
rently entertaining  a  very  poor  idea  of  the  talents 
of  the  gordo  cavaliero. 

As  our  artists  were  sitting  after  dinner  in  their 
handsome  boudoir,  a  voice  Avas  heard  at  a  little  dis- 
tance, singing.  Anna  went  into  the  garden  to  see 
whence  the  sounds  proceeded ;  and,  on  reaching  a 
little  terrace  belonging  to  the  Escorte's  apartments, 
she  found  Don  Marcos  seated  in  the  veritable  posi- 
tion of  a  tailor,  stitching  away,  mending  the  clothes 
of  his  camarados,  and  singing,  with  not  a  bad  tenor 
voice,  a  lively  song  in  Mexican.  Anna  thought  it 
pretty  —  asked  what  it  was,  and  was  informed  by  the 
ever  ready  and  polite  Luis  Cortez,  that  the  canzion 
was  called  La  Pasadita  (the  promenade),  and  had 
been  very  popular  for  the  last  two  years  —  although 
the  words,  referring  to  the  entrance  of  the  Ameri- 
23* 


270  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

cans  into  Mexico,  were  a  sort  of  satire  upon  the 
courage  and  character  of  the  Mexicans  themselves. 
Anna  immediately  expressed  a  desire  to  learn  this 
song,  and  Don  Marcos  was  honored  with  an  encore, 
for  the  purpose  of  enabling  Bochsa  to  note  down  the 
music.  Alfred,  the  secretary,  translated  the  words 
into  French,  to  give  Anna  the  full  meaning  of  them, 
and  Francesca,  Anna's  maid,  was  despatched  to  the 
best  milliner's,  to  order  a  costume  a  la  mucliacha. 
Anna,  as  she  always  is,  was  as  particular  concerning 
the  correctness  of  her  costume  of  a  Mexican  grisette 
as  of  Judith  or  Norma,  and  on  the  succeeding  Sab- 
bath took  a  long  walk,  to  observe  the  mudJiacJias,  and 
the  real  type  of  the  character  she  was  about  to 
represent.  The  handsome  reboso,  the  costly  hand- 
kerchief, the  glittering  short  red  jupon,  the  pretty 
blue  satin  shoes,  the  fine  silk  stocking,  all  was 
thought  of  and  carefully  observed,  and  got  up  in  the 
very  best  style. 

When  Anna  had  thoroughly  learned  the  Pasadita, 
and  had  made  herself  entirely  at  home  in  the  cos* 
tume  of  a  nmchacha,  she  decided  on  giving  a  dress 
rehearsal  in  her  spacious  saloons,  and  invited  to  it, 
not   the   fashionable    society  in   which   she   usually 


i 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  271 

moved,  but  her  laundresses,  the  family  of  Cortez, 
living  in  the  city,  Francesca's  female  friends,  and 
the  whole  escorte,  with,,  car^e  blanche  for  all  tl: -ir 
friends  and  acquaintances. 

All  were  punctual ;  and,  after  having  partaken 
of  'pulque  and  tortillas,  which  had  been  placed  for 
them  in  the  garden,  they  were  summoned  to  the 
drawing-room,  where  foot-lights  had  been  arranged 
as  in  a  theatre,  to  give  effect  to  the  scene.  Bochsa 
took  his  seat  at  the  piano,  struck  a  brilliant  ritour- 
nelle,  and  in  a  moment  Anna  entered,  in  full  costume, 
walking  in  that  free  and  easy  manner  of  the  Mexi- 
cans, which  no  other  nation  can  imitate.  The  effect 
was  electric :  the  whole  audience  sprang  from  their 
seats  —  they  roared  —  they  applauded  —  they  went 
frantic  with  a  real  and  unmistakeable  delight  —  and 
Anna  was  satisfied  that  the  Pasadita  sung  in  public 
would  be  a  decided  hit. 

We  must  not  forget   to  mention  that  this   little 

soiree  du  tiers  etat  concluded  with  a  pretty  Spanish 

duetto,  sung  by  two  laundresses,  and  a  canzion  called 

La  Catatumba,  sung  by  one  of  Cortez's  sisters.    The 

argument  of  this  latter  song  is  that  of  a  Mexican 

country  boy  who  comes  to  Madrid  to  see  the  court ; 

23* 


272  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

and  Anna,  elated  hj  her  Pasadita  success,  and 
taking  a  strong  fancy  for  La  Catatumha,  determined 
at  once  to  learn  it,  and  to  have  a  handsome  mu- 
chacho  dress  made  for  the  occasion,  giving  the 
order  for  it  to  Cortez's  tailor. 


MS   CHOLERA  — DEPARTURE   FROM 
GUADALAJARA. 

The  fair  of  San  Juan  del  Lagos  had  now  ended. 
Bankers  and  merchants  had  returned  to  Guadalajara, 
and  Bochsa's  harp  and  Anna's  Mexican  songs  being 
ready,  they  gave  a  splendid  concert  at  the  theatre, 
•which  was  so  well  attended  that  our  artists  decided 
to  give  two  or  three  more  before  returning  to  Mexico. 
But  official  intelligence  that  the  cholera  had  already 
appeared  in  the  State  of  Jalisco,  and  was  making 
di'eadful  ravages  on  the  road  leading  to  the  city  of 
Mexico  (the  only  one  our  artists  could  take),  came 
like  a  thunderbolt.  All  business  was  immediately 
suspended  —  the  theatres,  taverns,  and  all  other 
places  of  public  resort,  were  ordered  to  be  closed, 
and  all  social  reunions  were  prohibited.  Even  the 
assembling  of  more  than  three  persons  together  was 
prohibited.  All  fruits  found  in  the  shops  (except 
lemons),  all  kinds  of  fish  and  pork- meat  were  ordered 

(273) 


274  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

to  be  thrown  away  instantly.  In  fact  the  strongest 
measures  were  taken  by  the  authorities  of  Guada- 
lajara to  guard  against  the  dreadful  scourge ;  and 
the  Governor  was  so  kind  as  to  call  on  Anna  and 
urge  her  to  leave  the  city  as  soon  as  possible,  as  his 
duty  would  shortly  compel  him  to  send  soldiers  to 
the  frontiers  of  the  State  of  Jalisco,  to  form  a  cordon 
sanitaire,  with  strict  orders  to  allow  no  one  to  enter 
or  leave  the  State.  He  added  that  he  deplored  more 
than  he  could  express  the  present  situation  of  Anna 
and  Bochsa,  as,  the  cholera  raging  on  a  greater  part 
of  the  road,  they  would  be  unable  to  stop  in  any 
of  the  cities  on  their  way,  as  they  had  done  before — 
their  best  course  being  to  try  and  reach  Mexico 
without  delay,  and  with  all  possible  precautions. 

All  this  was  not  particularly  pleasant ;  but  there 
was  no  alternative,  and  Bochsa  immediately  ordered 
the  family  melon  to  be  got  ready. 

We  forgot  to  relate  in  the  proper  place,  that  Don 
Pepe  Silva  and  Don  Marcos,  a  few  days  before  these 
late  events,  had  absconded  and  returned  to  Mexico — 
Don  Pepe  (no  doubt  as  a  friendly  souvenir)  taking 
with  him,  beside  a  sum  of  money,  a  handsome  pair 
of  pistols  belonging  to  Bochsa,  who  had  lent  them 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  275 

to  him  and  Don  Marcos.  Don  Pepe  likewise  ex- 
changed his  bad  horse  for  a  better  one  belonging  to 
Don  Guglio  (of  course  without  the  latter's  knowledge 
or  permission).  The  command  of  the  escorte  there- 
fore was  given  to  Don  Alvarado  (the  chief  cochero 
and  the  Mexican  Oroveso) ;  and  the  Governor  chose 
for  our  artists  two  strong  men  in  place  of  the  two 
runaways,  one  an  African,  the  other  an  ex-arriero. 
The  whole  cortege  was  speedily  put  in  motion,  and 
quitted  the  city  of  Guadalajara  on  the  20th  day  of 
January,  1850,  Bochsa  leaving  his  secretary  behind 
to  settle  various  business  matters,  with  instructions 
to  rejoin  the  party  on  the  road  (by  diligencia)  as 
soon  as  possible. 

The  secretary,  in  his  quality  of  doctor,  being 
highly  esteemed  by  all  the  Medicos  and  apothecaries, 
had  been  placed  on  the  committee  appointed  to 
report  to  the  Governor  the  real  state  of  the  cholera 
in  the  city,  and  to  suggest  sanitary  measures :  there- 
fore he  was  not  sorry  to  remain  a  few  days  longer 
in  the  town,  more  especially  because  he  had  empha- 
tically declared  that  he  had  found  an  infallible 
specific  for  the  cure  of  that  dreaded  disease  :  that 
persons  who  kept  in  their  pockets  a  small  bag,  con- 


276  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

taining  some  extraordinary  powder  of  his  own  in- 
vention, would  inevitably  escape  contagion.*  The 
miraculous  secretary,  in  the  days  of  the  Inquisition, 
or  even  in  the  times  of  the  witch-burning  Puritans ' 
of  Plymouth  and  Salem,  would  no  doubt  have  been 
broiled  a  la  minute,  as  a  sorcerer. 

On  the  day  when  our  artists  and  their  troupe  left 
Guadalajara,  the  sun  Avas  not  so  bright  as  usual. 
The  air  was  damp  and  murky  with  the  smoke  which 
rose  from  numerous  fires,  lighted  in  the  streets  to 
purify  the  atmosphere.  Coffins  were  seen  in  many 
directions,  some  deposited  at  the  doors  of  convents 
and  of  private  dwellings,  which  had  been  visited  by 
death,  others  borne  along  on  the  shoulders  of  wan- 
looking,  frightened  mozos.      To  add  to  the  melan- 


*  During  the  cholera  season  in  the  United  States,  it  was  a 
general  custom,  even  among  many  of  the  -leading  temperance 
people,  to  carry  in  their  pockets  small  bottles  of  amber-colored 
fluid,  as  a  protection,  which,  when  closely  examined,'  bore  a 
remarkable  resemblance  to  brandy.  Whether  it  proved  more 
efficacious  than  the  Doctor's  powder,  history  saith  not.  It  is,  no 
doubt,  from  the  above  fact,  that  old  fine  Cognac,  in  some  towns 
of  the  South,  is  labelled,  even  now.  Consolation,  and  cannot 
be  obtained  under  any  other  name.  —  Editor. 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  277 

choly  appearance  of  the  scene,  all  houses  were  closed 
excepting  those  of  the  apothecaries. 

The  party  soon  reached  San  Pedro,  the  fashiona- 
ble suburb  of  Guadalajara,  which  they  had  so 
warmly  admired,  in  parading  through  it,  two  months 
before.  But  now,  how  different  it  looked !  all  the 
portes  cocheres  shut  up,  the  streets  deserted,  the 
very  trees  leafless  or  drooping.  No  sound  but  the 
hammering  of  those  who  were  making  coflSns,  the 
dirge-like  chant  of  the  priests  who  paid  the  last  sad 
oflBces  to  the  dead,  or  the  deep  booming  of  tolling 
bells.  It  would  require  the  pen  of  a  Goldsmith  or  a 
Gray  to  describe  such  a  scene. 

These  sights  must  have  had  a  striking  effect  upon 
the  cochere  major  and  his  mules,  as  the  famous 
Pompadour  rolled  ponderously  along  at  full  speed, 
followed  by  the  whole  of  the  gardes  du  corps,  who 
seemed  a  little  out  of  spirits.  Even  Don  Luis 
Cortez  closed  his  blue  lips  over  the  teeth  he  was 
usually  so  fond  of  exhibiting,  nor  permitted  a  smile 
to  light  up  his  countenance  as  he  galloped  along. 

Nothing  of  importance  passed  on  that  day  or  the 
next.  The  villages  through  which  the  cortege 
passed,    as    those    already   described,    were   gloomy 

24 


278  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

and  deserted.  The  doors  of  many  tenantless  cot- 
tages were  open,  and  on  the  walls  were  painted 
large  crosses.  Anna  counted  no  less  than  ten 
of  them  on  the  walls  of  one  small  house ;  these  un- 
doubtedly denoting  the  number  who  had  fallen 
victims  there  to  the  fatal  scourge,  as  it  is  the 
custom  in  that  country,  wherever  a  traveller  perishes 
by  the  road-side,  either  by  the  hand  of  violence  or 
by  disease,  to  erect  a  cross,  in  order  that  the  passer- 
by may  breathe  a  prayer  for  the  soul  of  the 
departed. 

Bochsa's  face,  heretofore  so  good-humored,  looked 
serious ;  Anna  was  silent,  but  soul-speaking  tears 
rose  often  into  her  large,  expressive  eyes,  as  she  rode 
along.  At  one  point  she  observed  a  poor,  wan, 
ragged  little  child,  which  stood  alone  beneath  a  tree 
by  the  road-side,  looking  all  forlorn  and  friendless. 
She  threw  him  a  piastre.  She  could  not  hear  his 
feeble  voice  utter  ^^  Bios  te  gracia,  senora  ;"  but  she 
saw  his  thin  pale  lips  move,  and  the  tear  of  gratitude 
start  in  his  eyes,  which  were  dim  as  the  infectious 
atmosphere  around  them. 

It  should  here  be  remarked,  to  the  honor  of  the 
Mexicans,  that  they  never  passed  the  crosses  before- 


j 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  279 

mentioned  without  raising  their  hats,  and  frequently 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross,  in  respect  to  the  dead. 

On  sped  the  cortege,  and  with  them  all  so  far  went 
•well.  Thanks  to  the  provident  and  indefatigable 
secretary,  who  had  supplied  the  coach  with  all  sorts 
of  provisions,  spiced  and  preserved,  vinaigre,  mou- 
tarde,  eamphre,  etc.,  etc.,  our  travellers  did  not 
require  any  assistance  from  the  half-deserted  fondas 
on  the  road,  where  stupor  and  dismay  so  reigned 
that  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  obtain  eatable 
things.    ■ 

But   now  we   have   to  relate    an   incident  which, 

although    not   exactly  touching  our  artists,   was  to 

them  very  painful,  and  which  cast  a  gloom  on  the 

whole  journey.      After  having  breakfasted   at  San 

Miguel,  our  artists  were  getting  in  their  coach,  when 

Bochsa,  in  looking  behind  to  see  if  all  the  men  were 

ready,  saw  the  African,  —  one  of  the  men  who  had 

joined  the  escort  at  Guadalajara,  whom  Anna  used 

to  call  "  Othello"  (for  his  face  was  a  dark  olive,  and 

he   wore    a   Moorish    dress),  —  seated    on    a   stone, 

attended  by  Cortez  and  Guglio,  appearing  to  be  ill. 

The  maestro  inquired  what  was   the  matter.     Don 

Guglio,  with  an  expression  of  fear,  said  that  Alonzo 
24 


280  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

(the  African's  real  name)  was  not  quite  well,  liad 
not  eaten  at  breakfast,  &c.,  but  that  the  air  would 
do  him  good  soon.  In  a  short  time  he  mounted  his 
horse  with  the  rest,  and  the  journey  was  resumed. 
Several  times  during  the  day  the  kind-hearted  Anna 
looked  back  through  the  coach-window  to  see  if 
Alonzo  kept  up.  She  observed  that  he  lagged 
behind  the  party,  that  his  head  was  bent  forward, 
as  if  he  was  suflFering  very  much.  She  at  once 
ordered  Don  Luis  to  ride  back,  and  inquire  how  he 
was,  and  to  see  if  any  thing  could  be  done  for  him. 
The  poor  man,  thankful  for  the  kind  message,  seemed 
to  try  to  rally  a  little,  saying  that  he  felt  pains  in 
the  knees  and  stomach,  but  he  thought  if  he  had  a 
little  brandy  he  would  soon  be  well.  Anna  sent  him 
some  instantly,  at  the  same  time  deploring  that  th^ 
secretary,  who  was  really  a  skilful  physician,  had 
remained  in  Guadalajara.  Alonzo  swallowed  the 
brandy,  and  seemed  much  better.  He  put  his  horse 
into  a  trot,  and  rejoined  the  party.  A  short  time 
after  this,  our  artists  reaching  a  small  village  where 
men  and  horses  were  to  rest  for  an  hour,  the  good 
Anna  oifered  to  obtain  medical  aid,  and  urged 
Alonzo  to  remain  there.     But  he  persisted  in  going 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  281 

on.  Our  artists  intended  to  arrive  at  San  Juan  de 
los  Lagos  that  night ;  and  thej  settled  in  their  minds 
that  if  the  African  was  still  unwell  when  there,  to 
leave  him  under  the  care  of  some  respectable  medical 
man,  giving  him  besides  a  sum  of  money  to  enable 
him  to  return  back  to  Guadalajara.  But  fate,  the 
stern  arbitrator,  had  decided  otherwise.  On  the 
waste  plateau  which  for  several  miles  commands  the 
heights  around  the  town  of  San  Juan  de  los  Lagos, 
Anna,  not  observing  Alonzo,  requested  to  have  the 
coach  stopped,  wishing  to  knoAV  where  and  how 
Alonzo  was.  On  inquiry,  it  was  ascertained  that  he 
and  Don  Guglio  were  missing  from  the  escort.  Al- 
varado,  who  was  near  the  coach  door,  said,  mourn- 
fully, that  the  African,  feeling  himself  worse,  had 
returned  to  the  village.  He  had  just  left,  accom- 
panied by  Don  Guglio,  adding  that  there  was  very 
little  hope  to  see  Alonzo  again,  for  his  disease  was 
cTioUra,  and  nothing  could  save  him. 

AVhat  then  were  our  artists  to  do  ?  To  retrograde 
would  have  been  madness,  especially  as  they  were 
unacquainted  with  the  treatment  of  the  disease,  and 
unprovided  with  medicines.  Without  any  chance 
of  doing  good,  they  would  have  endangered  the  lives 
24  * 


282  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

of  the  rest  of  the  troupe.  Their  duty,  evidently, 
was  to  use  all  possible  speed  in  quitting  those  pesti- 
lential regions  ;  therefore,  with  sad  and  heavy  hearts, 
they  passed  on.  When  they  arrived  at  San  Juan 
de  los  Lagos,  the  same  scene  of  desolation  met  their 
wearied  eyes.  Most  of  the  houses  were  emptied  — 
doors  open,  rooms  tenantless.  A  few  lean  and 
hungry  pigs  wandered  through  the  streets ;  here  and 
there  vultures  flapped  their  dark  wings  in  the  air,  or 
fearlessly  perched  themselves  on  the  house-tops. 
The  confectionaries,  formerly  so  attractive,  the  ele- 
gant apothecary  shops,  the  well-supplied  Restaurant 
Franqais,  the  thousand  cases  of  delicious  foreign 
wines  piled  up  in  every  street,  the  bales  of  goods, 
the  lively  crowd  of  sellers  and  buyers,  the  gay  pro- 
menaders  in  every  street,  had  vanished,  and  the 
reign  of  the  black-browed  despot  Death  was  evident. 
On  alighting  at  the  fonda,  it  was  difficult  to  find 
even  a  single  person  to  speak  to,  all  the  doors  being 
opened,  every  apartment  at  liberty.  Under  such 
circumstances,  our  artists  and  their  escort  could 
select  their  own  quarters  easily  —  the  latter  being 
accustomed  to  lodge  in  one  room  to  the  number  of  a 
dozen  or  more ;  and  soon  the  whole  party  was  very 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  283 

comfortably  domiciled  for  the  night,  after  the  coach 
had  been  emptied  of  its  contents.  Shortly  after, 
Don  Guglio  arrived,  bringing  the  melancholy  intel- 
ligence that  the  African  had  died  of  cholera  as  soon 
as  he  returned  to  the  village.  Anna,  with  her  ac- 
customed generosity,  immediately  ordered  a  man  to 
mount  his  horse,  and  to  take  to  the  Alcalde  of  the 
village  forty  dollars,  to  pay  his  funeral  expenses ; 
but  Don  Guglio  represented  that  the  sixty  piastres 
which  el  Caballero  Bochsa  had  given  to  Alonzo  in 
advance  at  Guadalajara,  had  been  found  in  his 
pocket,  and  that  with  it  the  Alcalde  had  already 
paid  all  the  expenses,  and  retained  a  sum  which  he 
had  promised  to  send  to  the  family  of  the  deceased. 

The  sad  news  affected  deeply  the  whole  escort 
party.  Instead  of  eating  supper  as  usual,  and 
passing  cheerful  hours  afterwards  in  the  court-yard, 
they  all  retired  to  their  rooms,  and  spent  most  of 
the  night  in  prayer  and  in  sad  meditation.  Before 
starting  in  the  morning  they  also  attended  divine 
service  at  the  Cathedral. 

On  leaving  the  desolated  town,  the  party  was 
saluted,   on    ascending  the  hill  which  brings    again 

into  view  the  grandioso  plateau,  by  the  cawing  of 

•      ^    24* 


284  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

numberless  crows,  which  were  so  sociable  as  almost 
to  thrust  their  heads  within  the  coach.  With  a  most 
dolorous  countenance,  Don  Luis  remarked  that  this 
visit  was  ominous  of  evil.  Doubtless  the  whole 
escort  coincided  with  his  opinion,  for  they  crossed 
themselves  several  times  and  avoided  the  intruders 
as  much  as  they  could.  At  last  the  sable-winged 
company  left,  and  as  Anna  had  promised  to  Alvarado 
some  twenty  piastres  if,  instead  of  seven  days,  they 
should  reach  Mexico  in  four  or  five,  the  whole  con- 
cern went  ^^ ventre  cl  terre'^  all  the  way.  It  indeed 
was  surprising  that  the  old  Pompadour,  loaded  as  it 
was,  considering  the  bad  state  of  the  roads,  could 
travel  so  fast,  without  knocking  itself  into  a  thou- 
sand pieces. 

It  had  originally  been  Anna's  intention,  in  coming 
back  from  Guadalajara,  to  sing  again  at  some  of  the 
places  she  had  visited  before ;  but  the  fear  of  the 
cholera,  and  political  as  well  as  religious  dissensions 
which  had  lately  taken  place,  particularly  at  Que- 
retaro,  caused  her  to  abandon  the  project.  Thus  the 
only  city  she  selected  for  one  concert  was  Guanajato, 
almost  on  her  way  to  the  capital,  and  celebrated  for 
its  silver  mines,  great  richness  of  soil,  the  wealth 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  285 

of  its  people,  and  general  salubrity.  But  ere  our 
adventurous  travellers  reached  the  city  so  famed  for 
plata,  they  were  doomed  to  undergo  another  incident 
of  a  serio-comico  nature,  with  a  band  of  "  Dille- 
TANTi  Robbers." 

The  party  was  not  far  from  Leon,  still  travelling 
at  a  furious  rate,  for  Alvarado  was  determined  to 
earn  his  promised  reward.  Bochsa  was  complacently 
"laying  back"  in  the  belle  Pompadour;  the  queenly 
Anna  was  glancing  from  time  to  time  at  the  wild 
and  romantic  scenery  which  passed  like  a  panoramic 
view  before  her  eyes,  or  perchance  dreaming  of  her 
beHutiful  villa  in  sunny  Italy ;  but  both,  no  doubt, 
glad  that  every  crack  of  the  whip  distanced  them 
from  the  parts  the  most  infected  by  the  epidemic 
disease.  Suddenly  they  heard  the  clattering  of 
hoofs,  and  soon,  over  a  small  hill  on  the  right  hand 
side  of  the  road,  three  men,  well  mounted,  came 
galloping  toward  the  coach.  They  were  masked, 
dressed  and  armed  in  regular  Ladrone  style,  their 
belts  full  of  pistols,  &c.,  and  did  not  present  the 
most  inviting  appearance,  especially  as  they  were 
about  to  enter  the  presence  of  a  lady.  One  of  them 
rode  before  the  coach    and,  presenting,  as  is  usual 


286  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

in  such  rencontre,  an  enormous  eseopette  at  the  head 
of  the  cochero  major,  who  immediately  stopped  his 
mules. 

Anna,  brave  as  she  is  beautiful  and  gifted,  had 
in  the  meantime  cocked  her  little  revolver ;  Bochsa 
had  drawn  from  under  the  cushioned  seat  a  pair  of 
pistols  which  had  laid  there  perdu  for  weeks ;  and 
the  escort,  all  but  one  or  two,  who  were  oblivious 
just  then,  had  drawn  up  en  hattaille,  when  one  of  the 
strangers  dismounted  and  came  to  the  carriage-door. 
In  the  most  gentlemanly  manner,  he  doffed  his  som- 
brero, and,  to  the  surprise  of  every  one,  addressed  the 
lady  Anna  thus  : 

"  Senora,  do  not  be  alarmed ;  we  do  not  intend  to 
take  from  you  your  valuable  bijoux,  or  your  splendid 
costumes ;  we  wish  only  to  rob  you  of  a  song. 
When  you  first  honored  our  country  with  a  visit,  we 
had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  you;  Since  then  our 
duties  on  the  road,  which  required  us  to  replenish 
purses  made  empty  by  visiting  at  Mexico  your  con- 
certs and  Montplaisir's  ballet  troupe,  and  also  by  a 
little  gambling,  occasioned  mostly  by  the  enthusiasm 
and  excitement  we  were  constantly  in,  by  attending 
the    above-named   delicious   performances,   we   were 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  287 

prevented  from  following  your  troupe  and  listening 
to  your  dulcet  notes.  We  have  heard  of  the  fame 
you  have  won  in  the  '  Pasadita,'  and  we  are  here 
for  the  sole  purpose  of  respectfully  asking  you  to 
favor  us  with  that  beautiful  Mexican  song." 

"What!"  asked  Anna,  more  amused  than  terri- 
fied, "here,  in  the  middle  of  the  road?" 

"  We  shall  not  be  disturbed,"  replied  the  cabal- 
lero.  "  Our  men  guard  the  pass  above  and  below, 
and  no  intruders  can  advance.  Besides,  Senora  hel- 
lissima,  we  are  not  so  exigeant  as  to  ask  you  to  dress 
in  costume,  though  reports  speak  very  highly  of  the 
beauty  of  your  Mexican  costume  and  the  grace  with 
which  you  wear  it.  We  will  not  even  demand  that 
the  gifted  Maestro  Bochsa  puts  on  his  splendid  con- 
cert dress  (here  Bochsa  bowed  very  low) ;  let  him 
only  have  his  harp  down,  to  accompany  you,  and  we 
■will  be  satisfied,  and  kiss  your  feet  a  thousand 
times."* 

This  conversation  being  heard  by  all  the  escorte, 


*  A  very  common  expression  among-  Castilian  and  Mexican 
gallants,  but  probably  never  carried  into  actual  practice.  — 
Editor. 


288  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

dismissed  their  fears ;  and,  enjoying  the  joke,  they 
handed  down  the  precious  harp-case,  -s^'hich  had  been 
stowed  between  the  soft  mattresses  on  the  top  of  the 
coach. 

Bochsa  proceeded  quickly  to  prepare  his  instru- 
ment. Anna  was  gracefully  handed  from  the  car- 
riage by  the  caballero  who  had  spoken  before,  he 
paying  her  every  respectful  attention,  gracefully 
putting  the  shawl  over  her  shoulders,  &c.  Night 
was  approaching.  A  stone,  surmounted  by  a  wooden 
cross,  which  intimated  that  some  ladrone  or  mur- 
dered traveller  lay  beneath  it,  was  the  seat  on  which 
Bochsa  placed  himself,  having  la  belle  Anna  on  his 
right.  lie  cast  himself  in  his  usual  attitude,  looked 
heavenward,  like  David  of  old  seeking  for  inspira- 
tion, and  struck  the  first  notes  of  his  prelude. 

"  Oh  Dios  !"  he  exclaimed  ;  "  two  strings  broken.; 
I  cannot  go  on." 

^^  Caramha  !  vea  listed ;"  said,  rather  impatiently, 
one  of  the  caballeros,  showing  his  white  teeth  glit- 
tering behind  his  jetty  moustache  and  drawing  a 
pistol  from  his  belt ;  "  do  not  take  too  much  trouble. 
We  have  but  little  time  to  wait;  beside  the  fair 
scnora  mi2;ht  catch  cold.     Begin  !" 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  289 

"^  la  disposicione  de  usted,''  replied  Bochsa,  in 
shrugging  his  shoulders  a  la  FrarK^aise ;  but  he 
spake  not  another  word. 

Anna  was,  as  usual,  in  good  voice ;  and  the  stran- 
gers were  so  pleased  with  the  Pasadita  that  she  was 
obliged  to  repeat  it.  Loud  and  long  were  the 
plaudits.  "  BravOy  bravissimo  !  excellentissimo  /" 
rung  through  the  air.  "  Cfratia,  Linda  Senora^ 
celebre  Maestro  !"  &c.,  were  the  echoes.  The  cabal- 
leros  now  reconducted  Anna  to  the  coach,  with  infi- 
nite politeness.  They  thanked  the  artists  with  many 
fervent  expressions,  then  mounted  their  horses,  and 
disappeared  as  they  came,  in  a  rapid  gallop. 

When  the  "robbers"  were  out  of  sight,  the  harp 
replaced  in  its  case,  and  Don  Luis  Cortez  taken  out 
of  the  coach-net,  where,  merely  par  precaution,  he 
had   snugly  hidden    himself,  Bochsa  said  to  Anna : 

"  Ma  cherCj  nous  sommes  joues.  Ces  aimables 
voleurs  sont  des  messieurs  de  Leon,  qui  ont  voulu 
nous  faire  peur !" 

"And  they  succeeded  pretty  well,"  answered 
Anna,  archly.  "You  did  look  a  little  nervous. 
Maestro  mio,  when  seated  on  that  rough  stone ;  and 


290  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

I  do  not  forget  you  made  two  or  three  slight  errors 
in  your  harp  accompaniment,  eh !" 

"  If  I  appeared  alarmed,  it  was  only  for  you,  fair 
lady,"  replied  Bochsa,  brandishing  his  harp-key  most 
terrifically  ;  "  and  I  hold  myself  ready  to  attack  the 
first  vile  gachupino  who  would  dare  to  approach 
you." 

"Thank  you,  caro  maestro,"  said  Anna,  bowing 
low  her  graceful  head,  at  the  same  time  presenting 
the  chevalier  with  a  glass  of  fine  Madeira,  Avhich  at 
once  "washed  away  the  frowns  upon  his  indignant 
face. 

VOYAGE     RESUMED. 

The  equipage  being  once  more  in  order,  Bochsa 
uttered  the  well-known  command  "  Vamos  !"  and  off 
they  went,  not  without  the  maestro  looking  anxiously 
around  to  see  where  the  escort  was,  and  saying, 
sotto  voce,  "  Cowards  !  poltroons  !"  &c.  "  And  those 
coxcombs  to  hear  the  Pasadita  gratis  !  What  cabal- 
leros  !  what  a  country  !" 

At  Leon  the  famous  and  ever-to-be-remembered 
secretary,  Alfred,  rejoined  Bochsa,  bringing  a  dread- 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  291 

ful  account  of  the  ravages  of  the  plague  at  Guada- 
lajara%  The  number  of  deaths  were  daily  increasing, 
and  every  body  who  could  leave  had  flown  to  Yepsic, 
some  leagues  from  Guadalajara,  and  as  yet  free  from 
^  the  fearful  malaria,  but  uncommonly  well  stocked 
with  Ladrones  and  Indians  of  the  worst  kind.  The 
secretary's  medical  services  had  been  so  much  ia 
request,  that  it  was  only  by  special  favor  of  the 
Governor  that  he  could  leave  in  the  last  diligencia 
which  was  permitted  to  depart  from  the  doomed  city 
during  the  existence  of  the  scourge. 

Their  delay  at  Leon  was  short.  Madame  Anna 
and  Bochsa  visited  their  banker  and  closed  J;heir 
fiscal  arrangements  with  him,  and  left  the  city  early 
the  next  morning  for  Guanajato ;  having  already 
despatched  Alfred,  by  diligencia^  to  that  place,  to 
arrange  for  the  concert,  and  make  friends  with  those 
powerful  allies,  the  apothecaries. 


25 


GUANAJATO. 

Nothing  occurred  to  disturb  the  serenity  of  Madame 
Anna,  or  the  nerves  of  El  Oahallero  Don  Carlos ; 
and  in  safety  they  reached  the  above-named  city,  the 
suburbs  of  Tyhich  are  extremely  picturesque.  For 
some  two  miles  the  narrow  road  wound  around  among 
gentle  slopes,  covered  with  trees  in  full  bloom  and 
verdure,  though  it  was  in  January.  Flowers  car- 
peted the  earth ;  rivulets  ran  here  and  there  in 
silvery  threads,  cooling  the  air  with  the  spray  of 
little  cascades ;  birds  made  sweet  music  on  every 
hand.  But  here,  as  everywhere  else,  the  hand  of 
man  had  marred  the. beauteous  face  of  nature.  The 
few  houses  which  our  party  saw  wore  a  gloomy  and 
unpleasant  aspect,  having  no  windows  in  front,  but, 
instead,  large  holes,  like  the  port-holes  in  the  lower 
batteries  of  a  fort,  through  which  all  the  garbage 
and  slops  of  the  house  were  cast.  This  to  a  great 
degree  destroyed  the  charm  of  the  beautiful  scenery. 

(292) 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  293 

The  city  is  built  among  and  on  the  tops  of  a  mass 
of  rocks  and  small  hills,  without  regard  to  regularity. 
While  a  wayward  poet  might  admire,  a  Philadelphia 
Quaker  would  be  horrified  at  such  an  utter  disregard 
of  the  science  of  angles  and  squares.  Many  of  the 
rock-perched  houses  literally  seemed  to  be  hanging 
in  the  air.  There  is  not  a  more  gay  and  animated 
place  in  Mexico  than  Guanajato.  The  main  sti'ee.t, 
in  particular,  is  full  of  life  and  bustle,  its  large  and 
elegant  trottoirs  being  filled  with  little  stalls,  where 
are  sold  many  curious  specimens  fi"om  the  mines,  wax 
dolls,  rich  and  pretty  bijouterie,  not  unfashionable 
ladies'  caps  and  bonnets,  and  many  other  things. 
The  Governor  and  other  officers  of  the  State,  as  well 
as  many  of  the  proprietors  of  the  mines,  inhabit 
elegant  palaces,  furnished  with  rare  taste  and  beauty. 
Very  few  carriages  are  seen,  the  streets  being  so 
hilly  and  also  so  narrow.  In  fact,  it  was  not  with- 
out considerable  trouble  that  the  ponderous  equipage 
—  the  sight  of  which,  with  its  load  of  baggage  and 
formidable  escort,  caused  quite  a  commotion  —  could 
reach  the  "  meson"  (a  very  handsome  one  too),  with- 
out accident.  The  secretary,  with  his  usual  prompti- 
tude, had  already  agreed  on  terms  with  "  El  4.utorj" 


294  ANNA     IN     MEXICO. 

or  the  manager  of  the  theatre,  bills  had  been  printed, 
and  his  friends,  the  apothecaries,  had,  while  vending 
pills  and  nostrums,  sent  abroad,  like  the  perfume  of 
their  own  cologne,  the  gladsome  news,  that  the  citi- 
zens of  Guanajato  were  about  to  have  an  extraordi- 
nary musical  treat.  Thus  every  thing  was  ready  for 
Anna's  concert ;  the  people  were  all  on  the  qui  vive 
to  hear  the  far-famed  cantatrice  and  the  renowned 
harpist  Bochsa. 

The  theatre  is  very  large,  and,  singular  for  a 
Mexican  theatre,  in  fine  order.  On  the  night  of  the 
concert  every  seat  was  taken.  The  house,  outside, 
was  brilliantly  illuminated  with  lanterns  of  various 
colours ;  the  principal  entrances  tastefully  decorated 
with  beautiful  flowers  and  orange-leaves ;  and  our 
prima  donna,  whose  travels  had  not  impaired  her 
loveliness,  nor  the  terrors  through  which  she  had 
passed,  paled  her  cheek,  was  received  with  enthu- 
siasm ;  but  the  Pasadita  and  Oatalumba  took  them 
perfectly  by  storm.  Anna  was  encored  in  each  three 
times ;  and  even  then  they  seemed,  like  the  charity- 
boy  of  "  Oliver  Twist,"  to  wish  "for  more.  Though 
Anna  and  the  Maestro  were  anxious  to  hasten  on  to 
Mexico,  to  arrange  an  engagement  which  had  been 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  ,  295 

proposed  at  the  Teatre  Nacionale,  the  citizens  of 
Guanajato  would  not  for  a  moment  listen  to  her 
leaving,  without  giving  another  lyric  entertainment. 
She  acceded  to  their  pressing  requests,  and  again 
every  seat  was  filled,  and  even  the  standee  places 
occupied. 


25 


THE    CAPITAL   ONCE    MORE. 

We  ■will  pass  over  the  journey  to  the  capital,  for  it 
brought  no  new  adventures  to  our  artists.  Not  a 
robber,  with  murderous  escopette,  or  a  ranchero  with 
lasso  and  lance,  met  them  to  insist  on  hearing  the 
Pasadita  gratis,  or  to  discommode  the  temper  of  the 
portly  Bochsa,  who,  when  the  family  melon  rolled  in 
over  the  causeway  of  the  ancient  city  of  the  Monte- 
zumas,  looked  the  very  picture  of  happiness. 

The  artists  were  soon  comfortably  settled  at  the 
magnificent  private  house  of  the  brothers  Laurent, 
where,  by  the  kind  offices  of  a  friend,  elegant  apart- 
ments had  been  obtained.  This  abode,  more  quiet 
and  private  than  the  rooms  which  Anna  had  occu- 
pied at  the  Bazaar  Hotel,  had  the  great  advantage 
not  to  have  a  fonda  on  the  premises.  The  Messrs. 
Laurent  were  celebrated  cuisiniers  Frangais,  of  the 
first  class,  and  having  amassed  a  large  fortune  in  the 
country,    they   had    retired   from   general    business, 

(296) 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  297 

composing  delicate  diners  and  fine  soupers^  for  the 
aristocracy  only.  Eut  on  this  occasion,  knowing  the 
epicurean  taste  of  our  artists,  they  kindly  consented 
to  superintend  their  table,  an  arrangement  which 
especially  gave  great  satisfaction  to  Bochsa,  who  has 
an  utter  horror  of  bad  cooking  and  poor  wines. 

Being  now  settled,  the  maestro  dismissed  the  old 
coach  and  the  escort.  He  made  also  inquiries  re- 
specting Don  Pepe  Silva,  who,  it  will  be  recollected, 
absconded  with  pistols  and  money  belonging  to  him, 
and  learned  that  the  worthy  was  in  the  city,  ready 
to  take  part  in  a  revolution  which  was  much 
talked  of.*     Bochsa  wished  to  put  Don  Pepe  Silva 

*  In  that  country  of  cunning  and  distrust,  it  is  surprising 
how  openly  people  speak  of  conspirations  and  changes  of  Go- 
vernment. While  on  the  subject,  it  will  not  be  hors  de  propos, 
I  hope,  to  relate  an  anecdote  recoiinled  to  nie  by  Mr.  Bochsa. 

A  gentleman  of  influence  in  society,  and  in  the  army,  and  an 
acquaintance  of  our  artists,  called  one  morning  to  pay  a  visit  to 
Madame  Anna.  That  gentleman  had  travelled  all  over  Europe, 
spoke  French  and  English  fluently,  and  being  witty  and  well- 
informed,  his  conversation  was  very  agreeable.  On  his  being 
invited  by  our  artists  to  dine  with  them  on  the  following  day,  his 
reply  was,  that  he  would  be  most  happy  to  come,  if  all  teas  over 
in  good  time.  "  What  is  to  be  over  ?"  asked  Bochsa.  "  Oli, 
maestro,  only  une  bagatelle  Mcxicaine.     The  fact  is,"  continued 


298  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

in  jail,  but  was  advised  by  friends  not  to  try  sucb  a 
thing,  as  much  time  and  money  would  be  spent  with- 
out bringing  matters  to  an  issue,  Don  Pepe  being 


the  gentleman,  "  that  the  present  government  is  very  unpopular, 
and  the  opposition  party  has  decided  to  get  rid  of  all  the  mem- 
bers of  it,  and  to  get  themselves  in  power.  Of  course,  the 
actual  President,  Herrera,  is  to  fall  with  his  ministers.  If  they 
offer  no  resistance,  all  will  be  settled  quietly ;  but  if  they  do, 
they  will  be  stabbed  or  shot,  sans  merci.  To-morrow  is  the 
day  fixed  upon.  Part  of  the  army  is  already  on  our  side. 
Plenty  of  money  and  pulque  were  given  yesterday  ^o  the 
soldiers,  and  success  is  certain.  Having  free  access  to  the 
President's  apartments,"  added  he,  with  great  nonchalance, 
"  the  leaders  of  the  plot  had  chosen  me  to  shoot  Herrera,  in  case 
of  necessity;  but  I  refused  positively,  as  he  is  a  good  sort  of  a 
fellow,  and  has  been  friendly  to  me  on  several  occasions."  "  But 
do  you  think,"  said  Anna,  "that  the  nation  will  be  happier  by 
this  change?"  "That,  ma  chere  dame,  I  really  do  not  know," 
answered  her  visitor  with  a  sigh,  "as,  in  my  opinion,  there  is 
not  a  man  in  the  whole  country  with  ^^ufficient  nerve  and  abili- 
ties to  rule  us  properly.  Santa  Anna,  perhaps,  could  have  some 
chance  .  .  .  .;  but — "  "  \yhy,  then,"  said  Bochsa,  "risk 
your  life  in  mixing  up  with  schemes  you  do  not  entirely  ap- 
prove ■?"  "  This  question  of  yours,  caro  caballero,  I  have  made 
often  to  myself,"  replied  the  gentleman,  "and,  as  I  am  not  a 
bonnet  rouge  outre,  or  a  legitimiste  quand  mime,  I  assure  you 
both,  mes  amis,  that  if  it  was  not  for  the  sake  of  some  exalted 
friends,  who  think  I  can  serve  their  party,  I  would  rather  remain 
a  spectator  than  be  an  actor  in  this  tragic  drama.     Mais  (get- 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  299 

a  Mexican,  and  belonging  to  the  army.  Therefore, 
El  Maestro  was  obliged  to  put  up  with  the  loss 
of  his  pistols. 

Anna  wanting  an  elegant  equipage,  Bochsa  looked 
about  for  the  coachman  Napoleon ;  but  that  impor- 
tant person  had  made  money  enough,  through  the 
liberality  of  his  employers,  to  start  for  California, 
and  accordingly  had  vamosed.  However,  soon  our 
peerless  prima  donna  was  provided  with  a  handsome 
New  Yoi'k  barouche,  and  all  proper  appendages. 

The  engagement  at  the  National  Theatre  having 
been  effected,  the  Lady  Anna,  thanks  to  those  scien- 
tific and  deliciose  compositions  of  the  Brothers 
Laurent,  and  also  to  the  trahajo  of  the  magnanimous 

ting  up  and  standing  before  Anna's  Psyche,  to  improve  the  tie 
of  his  handsome  satin  cravat)  "je  ne  puis  reculer.  Adieu 
done,  belle  dame;  au  revoir,  chevalier,  si  tout  va  bien."  The 
whole  of  next  morning  the  city  was  quiet  as  usual ;  but  about 
one  o'clock,  P.  M.,  Bochsa,  going  out  in  the  direction  of  the 
Government  palace,  saw  on  the  flat  top  of  it,  armed  men  and 
cannon.  Near  four,  our  artists'  guest  arrived,  seeming  in  the 
best  possible  humor,  announcing  that  the  conspiration  had  been 
discovered,  and  that  Herrera  had  taken  energetic  measures  to 
repress  (at  least  for  the  present)  any  attempt  at  a  revolution. 
As  for  the  chiefs  6f  the  intended  coup  (Telat,  although  they  were 
pretty  well  known,  no  notice  was  taken  of  them..  —  Editor, 


300       -  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

Bochsa,  was  soon  prepared  in  mind  and  body  to 
appear  in  her  best  scenes  in  costumes.  Again,  as 
in  the  summer,  the  favorite  Queen  of  Song  met  with 
complete  success.  Every  night  when  she  sung,  the  • 
"National"  was  crowded  to  excess,  and  the  treasury 
was  surprisingly  prosperous,  which  was  the  more 
astonishing,  because  the  Government  employes,  who, 
generally,  are  the  principal  supporters  of  public 
amusements,  had  for  months  received  but  small 
parts  of  their  salaries ;  in  fact  some  had  received 
nothing.  The  ministers  of  state,  heads  of  the  army, 
&c.,  in  this  particular,  were  as  badly  off  as  the  hum- 
blest clerk  and  poorest  soldado.  But  to  hear  Anna, 
the  great  prima  donna,  they  were  determined,  and 
found  the  means ;  hoiv,  it  is  none  of  our  business. 
At  this  time,  the  indefatigable  Bochsa,  a  modern 
Cagliostro,  who  knows  no  impossibility,  learned  that 
Verdis  music  had  never  been  publicly  heard  in 
Mexico,  and  he  conceived  the  idea  of  adapting  a 
sacred  subject  to  some  of  the  best  pieces  from 
Nabuco,  i  Lombard!,  Giovana  d'Arco,  &c.  The 
grand  episode  of  Judith  was  chosen,  and  Bochsa, 
providing  himself  with  a  Bible,  wrote  the  whole 
libretto  in  French,  so  that  his  secretary  could  trans- 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  301 

late  it  into  Spanish  prose.  This  being  done,  Senor 
Juan  Miguel  de  Losada,  a  distinguished  poet,  was 
applied  to  bj  the  managers,  to  put  the  prose  into 
blank  verse  to  suit  the  music;  which  was  rather  a 
dilBBcult  affair  for  the  poet,  he  being  utterly  unac- 
quainted with  musical  rhythm.  But  with  the  aid 
of  that  "Admirable  Crichton"  of  a  man,  the  won- 
derful secretary,  who  was  a  musician  as  well  as  a 
doctor,  a  poet  withal,  and  an  excellent  Italian  and 
Spanish  scholar,  besides  being  something  of  an  actor, 
our  maestro  was  soon  provided  with  a  very  fair 
Spanish  libretto  of  the  biblical  spectacle,  in  five 
tableaux.  Of  course  Anna  was  to  be  the  Judith ; 
and  every  one  who  has  since  seen  and  heard  her  in 
that  impressive  character,  will  acknowledge  her 
transcendent  merits  as  an  actress  and  vocalist. 
Bochsa,  who  so  well  knows  and  estimates  her 
powers,  had  selected  for  her  the  most  popular 
soprani  songs  of  Verdi,  while  the  most  effective 
chorusses,  concerted  pieces  and  marches  from  Na- 
buco,  which  could  be  properly  adapted  to  the  sub- 
ject, were  introduced  through  the  work  with  great 
effect.  Anna,  with  that  facility  which  has  surprised 
the  people   of  every  nation   which  she  has  visited. 


302  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

learned  her  arduous  part  in  Spanish  in  less  than  a 
week. 

The  tenor  Zanini,  whose  predilection  for  roasted 
fowls  and  Bordeaux  wine  had  not  diminished  since 
we  last  met  him,  was  to  be  the  Elchior,  an  Israelite 
General,  and  a  cathedral  basso  profundo  the  Grand 
Priest,  and  the  chorusses  were  studying  hard.  The 
orchestra,  with  a  black  gentleman  as  leader,  named 
Delgado  (Senor  Chavez,  the  former  director,  having 
left),  was  also  getting  ready,  under  the  tuition  of  the 
exhaustless  Bochsa.  Scene-painters,  costumiers,  &c., 
worked  night  and  day.  A  full  rehearsal  of  Judith, 
before  a  critical  body  of  amateurs,  had  created  the 
greatest  sensation  among  the  dilettanti,  when  Anna 
received  a  letter  from  her  relatives  in  England, 
informing  her  of  the  death  of  her  mother.  Those 
who  have  seen  Anna,  have  heard  her  sing,  have 
heard  her  pour  forth  her  very  soul  in  melody,  for- 
getful of  the  audience  before  her,  lost  in  the  cha- 
racter she  was  performing,  must  know  what  a  feeling 
heart  throbs  in  her  bosom.  Those  who  have  read 
but  a  few  pages  back,  how  she  sorrowed  for  the  suf- 
ferings of  a  poor  dying  negro,  and  forgot  her  own 
safety  and  comfort  to  render  him  aid,  when  she  was 


i 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  303 

breathing  the  infectious  air  of  death,  can  estimate 
hovf  feeling  she  is.  Judge  then  how  like  the  bursting 
of  a  thunder-cloud  upon  a  tender  flower  that  sad 
news  came  upon  her.  Music,  theatre,  interest,  all 
was  at  once  forgotten.  A  note  to  the  manager  of 
the  theatre  cancelled  her  engagement  immediately. 
For  a  whole  month  she  passed  her  time  in  utter 
seclusion :  she  wept  a  mother's  loss ;  she  recalled 
the  past.  Pale  grew  her  cheek  ;  her  eyes,  erst  so 
brilliant  with  the  light  of  hope,  of  joy,  of  triumph, 
dimmed  with  the  heart-storms'  rain. 

"Oh  who,  that  ever  knew  a  mother's  love, 

Or  felt  a  mother's  fond  caress, 
A  mother's  tender  care,  her  magic  power 

In  either  joy  or  wo  to  bless. 
But  would  not,  when  the  step  of  Death  was  heard, 

In  wailing  accents  of  despair, 
Exclaim,  '  Oh,  God  of  Heaven !  take  thou  the  hud. 

But  yet  that  full-blown  blossom  spare.' " 

Yes,   from   the    grief   that   the   devoted  daughter 

exhibited,  we  can  well  imagine  that  she  Avould  sooner 

herself   have  died  than   to  have  lost    one  so   dear. 

But  the  decrees  of  Providence  are  immutable. 

Anna's  health  had  failed  very  much  during  her 
26 


304  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

seclusion.  The  season  was  fast  approaching  when 
Vera  Cruz  would  again  be  sickly ;  fears  were  enter- 
tained that  the  cholera  Avould  soon  reach  the  capital ; 
therefore,  by  the  advice  of  him  who  sympathized 
with  her  as  a  father  would  with  a  stricken  child  (the 
noble-hearted  Bochsa),  preparations  were  made  for 
leaving  the  country.  Baggage  was  packed  and  sent 
on  ahead,  and  all  other  necessary  arrangements 
made. 

And  now  for  a  retrograde  digressive.  The  reader 
must  excuse  the  writer  hereof;  he  is  a  wilful  man, 
and  "a  wilful  man  will  have  his  way." 


"LE    COUP   DE   PISTOLET." 

The  follo"wing  scene,  "not  down  in  the  bills,"  oc- 
curred during  Madame  Anna's  engagement,  just 
previous  to  her  receiving  the  sad  news  announced 
in  a  preceding  page.  Of  course,  it  should  have  been 
told  before;  but  it  will  do  here  —  Vaut  mieux  tard 
que  jamais. 

The  hero  of  the  adventure  was  our  notable  medico- 
poetico  -  secretario,  Alfred,  who,  on  this  occasion, 
proved  himself  a  staunch  and  devoted,  though  some- 
what reckless,  friend  to  our  artists.  But  the  fault, 
if  fault  there  was,  was  one  of  the  head  rather  than 
the  heart.     Now  to  our  story. 

A  newspaper  having  inserted  a  violent  article 
against  Madame  Anna  and  Bochsa  (at  the  instiga- 
tion, we  were  informed,  of  the  Priest  party),  Alfred, 
without  saying  any  thing  to  Bochsa,  tried  to  find  out 
the  author.  At  first  he  was  unsuccessful,  but  after- 
wards, by  some  means,  he  succeeded  in  discovering 
2^)  *  (305) 


306  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

the  dastardly  miscreant  who  had  anonymously  tried 
to  injure  those  who  had  not  wTonged  him.  The  man 
was  a  gambler,  of  disreputable  character,  known  to 
mix  up  with  political  and  artistic  matters,  always  for 
some  dark  purpose.  Yet  the  brave-hearted  Alfred, 
acting  in  this  affair  without  the  knowledge  of  Bochsa, 
condescended  to  challenge  him.  The  cartel  was  of 
course  declined  by  the  well-known  coward.  Alfred, 
enraged  by  such  pusillanimous  conduct,  publicly 
stated  that  he  would  cane  the  man  whenever  or 
wherever  he  could  meet  with  him.  On  hearing  of 
this,  the  vile  scribbler  kept  out  of  the  way,  and  for 
a  time  no  one  could  say  where  he  had  hidden  him- 
self. However,  one  evening,  when  Anna  was  per- 
forming at  the  theatre,  in  the  opera  L'JEUsir 
d' Amove,  Bochsa  conducting  the  orchestra,  the  hot- 
headed secretary,  after  having  attended  to  the  sale 
of  tickets  in  the  box-office  (which  stands  in  a  corner 
of  the  large  peristyle  conducting  to  the  interior  of 
the  theatre),  was  about  leaving  to  go  behind  the 
scenes  to  report  to  Bochsa  the  amount  of  receipts, 
when  he  saw  under  the  peristyle  the  very  villain  he 
had  been  so  long  hunting  for,  accompanied  by  ano- 
ther person.      The  gallant  Alfred,  choleric  as  men 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  307 

of  his  nation  ever  are,  though  only  armed  with  a 
small  cane,  sprang  out,  seized  the  miscreant  by  the 
collar,  and  told  him  that  if  he  still  refused  to  give 
him  personal  satisfaction,  or  to  retract  the  vile 
article  he  had  written,  he  would  placard  him  throirgh 
the  city  as  a  coward,  unworthy  of  the  society  of 
men.  At  that  moment,  the  covrardly  scribbler  drew 
a  six-barrelled  revolver  from  beneath  his  waistcoat 
and,  taking  deliberate  aim  at  the  secretary,  fired. 
But  the  latter,  agile  as  a  bird,  threw  himself  behind 
one  of  the  columns  which  support  the  dome.  The 
villain,  observing  by  this  that  Alfred  was  unarmed, 
followed  up  his  murderous  intent,  by  pursuing  his 
antagonist  and  snapping  a  second  barrel  full  in  his 
face,  his  life  only  being  saved  by  the  failure  of  the 
pistol  to  explode.  A  thjrd  time  did  the  assassin 
raise  his  hand,  but  a  few  persons,  who  had  witnessed 
the  aflFray,  sprang  forward  and,  diverting  the  atten- 
tion of  the  assailant,  fairly  forced  the  brave  secre- 
tary, against  his  will,  into  the  box-office,  which  they 
locked  on  him.  A  few  police-men,  and  the  judge 
of  the  theatre,  attracted  by  the  report  of  the  pistol, 

were  soon  on  the  spot,  but,  strange  to  say,  made  no 
26* 


808  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

attempt  to   arrest  the  fiend,  but   permitted  him  to 
walk  coolly  away,  unmolested. 

The  operatic  performance  had  not  been  disturbed 
by  the  tragic  afiair,  although  the  faint  sound  of  the 
pistol  had  reached  the  interior  of  the  theatre.  It 
was  only  after  the  opera  was  over,  that  our  artists 
heard  that  their  secretary  had  been  shot  at  by  some 
unknown  person,  but  that  he  was  unhurt.  No  other 
details  could  be  given  them,  and  they  hastened  home, 
in  hopes  of  there  seeing  Alfred,  and  learning  the 
particulars  of  the  assault,  which  had  amazed  both 
Anna  and  Bochsa ;  for  they  had  not  read  the  news- 
paper article,  and  knowing  the  secretary  to  be  ordi- 
narily a  very  correct  and  prudent  man,  could  not 
imagine  how  he  could  have  made  an  enemy.  They, 
beside,  had  lived  very  retired,  while  hurrying  to 
complete  the  spectacle  of  Judith.  On  arriving  at 
their  lodgings,  a  servant  handed  them  a  card  which 
had  been  left  by  the  secretary  a  few  minutes  before, 
on  which  he  begged  the  maestro  to  excuse  him  if  he 
was  not  present  until  morning.  This  message  aug- 
mented Bochsa's  perplexity ;  for  he  is  very  precise  in 
business,  no  matter  how  carelessly  he  wandered  over 
the    harp-strings   before   the    amateur   ladrones   of 


ANNA    IN     MEXICO.  309 

Leon,  and  never  before  had  Alfred  failed,  ere  he 
retired  to  rest,  to  settle  the  pecuniary  aifairs  of  the 
evening,  and  receive  his  orders  for  the  next  day's 
business.  Bochsa  despatched  a  servant  to  the 
Bazaar  Hotel ;  but  he  had  not  been  seen,  though 
he  always  lodged  there.  It  was  near  midnight,  and 
our  artists  had  no  other  recourse,  but  to  wait  till 
morning,  to  get  some  information  respecting  this 
mysterious  affair. 

Bochsa  was  up  early.  His  servant  informed  him 
that  after  he  had  retired  to  bed  the  night  before,  the 
French  ambassador,  M.  Levasseur,  had  called,  seem- 
ing very  anxious  to  know  where  Monsieur  Alfred 
was.  That  extraordinary  young  man  had  the  secret 
power  to  make  friends  and  patrons  everywhere.  His 
amiable  qualities,  versatile  talents,  pleasing  address, 
and  being  of  noble  origin,  had  created  an  extraor- 
dinary interest  in  the  ambassador's  family,  hence  the 
visit  of  his  excellency  at  midnight  to  learn  the 
particulars  of  the  attack  made  on  his  countryman. 

Time  went  on,  and  no  tidings  of  the  secretary. 
Both  Anna  and  Bochsa  were  so  annoyed,  that 
Messrs.  Laurents'  choicest  compositions  pour  de- 
jeuner were  neglected.      Bochsa  grew  fidgety ;    he 


310  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

was  in  fact  getting  rather  out  of  temper,  when  Mr. 

M ,  an  acquaintance  of  Alfred  and  of  our  artists, 

carne  and  narrated  all  the  circumstances  of  the  affair, 
adding  that  his  young  friend,  knowing  how  strongly 
Bochsa  was  opposed  to  any  one  becoming  the  cham- 
pion of  artists,  without  authority,  and,  by  so  doing, 
to  give  importance  to  ignorant  and  malicious  criti- 
cisms or  squibs,  which  never  else  would  be  noticed, 
did  not  like  to  venture  into  his  presence,  and 
meet  the  maestro's  anger,  without  first  having  all 
explained,  and  being  assured  of  the  forgiveness  of 
Bochsa,  for  having  transgressed  his  imperative  rules, 
pleading  as  his  excuse  the  motives  which  induced  the 
act.  Bochsa  felt  vexed,  for  he  foresaw  that  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  and  annoyance  to  all  parties  would  be 
experienced,  before  public  excitement,  in  that  hot-bed 
of  disorder,  could  be  allayed.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  reflecting  that  the  foolish  man  had  jeopardized 
his  life  for  the  sake  of  his  employers,  he  told  Mr. 

M ,  that  he  did  not  entertain  any  bad  feeling 

against  Alfred,  and  would  do  any  thing  to  serve 
him ;  but  that,  as  he  had  transgressed  his  positive 
orders,  so  often  expressed,  not  to  put  himself  into 
unnecessary  broils,  without  telling  him,  particularly, 


ANNA     IN     MEXICO.  311 

as  the  fair  name  of  Madame  Anna  might  be  com- 
promised by  such  imprudent  actions,  he  could  not  in 
future  acknowledge  him  publicly  as  his  confidential 
man. 

What  Bochsa  disliked,  publicity,  could  not  be  pre- 
vented. On  the  next  day,  all  the  city  papers  gave 
long  accounts  of  the  affray,  with  more  or  less 
embellishment ;  but  it  is  justice  to  say,  that  the 
whole  press  praised  highly  tlie  secretary's  spirited 
conduct,  while  they  severely  condemned  the  police 
and  the  government  for  their  extraordinary  careless- 
ness, in  allowing  the  guilty  man  to  go  at  liberty. 
At  last,  the  general  fermentation  getting  up  to  a 
fever  heat,  and  the  French  ambassador  becoming 
troublesome  in  his  demands  for  justice  in  this  case 
of  a  French  subject,  the  vile  calumniator  and  assassin 
was  arrested ;  but,  to  the  utter  astonishment  of  every 
one,  the  unfortunate  Alfred  was  also  taken  into 
custody,  on  the  charge  of  having  sent  a  challenge. 

The  two  prisoners  were  first  consigned  to  a  jail 
of  the  worst  description  ;  bijt  again  the  French 
ambassador  interfered  for  his  young  countryman, 
and,  becoming  security  for  his  appeara?>cc  at  the 
trial,  secured  his  partial  liberty,  he  being  confined 


312  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

to  the  barracks  of  the  French  Guards,  "where  he  not 
only  enjoyed  all  possible  comfort,  but  was  permitted 
to  take  a  walk  at  night  in  the  city.  But,  as  we 
would  not  wish  to  revert  again  to  this  famous,  or 
rather  infamous  "  Coup  de  Pistolet,"  I  will  say  here, 
that  in  Mexico,  as  well  as  in  other  parts  of  the  globe, 
Justice  is  lazy  as  well  as  blind,  for  when  our  artists 
left  the  capital  to  embark  for  the  United  States 
(May  10,  1850),  the  trial  had  hardly  begun,  and 
there  was  no  prospect  of  its  speedy  termination. 


A   VISIT    TO    THE    PRESIDENT    OF 
THE    REPUBLIC. 

His  Excellency  General  Herrera,  having  been  very 
kind  to  the  Dona  Anna  during  her  stay  in  the 
country,  and  having  courteously  accepted  the  dedica- 
tion of  a  Hymne  N^acionale,  composed  by  Bochsa, 
and  intended  to  be  performed  at  all  the  grand' public 
solemnities  (the  words  being  spiritedly  written  by 
Senor  de  Lasada),  our  artists  were  anxious,  before 
their  final  departure,  to  pay  their  respects  to  him ; 
and  their  friend  General  Vanderlinden,  having  ob- 
tained permission  for  an  interview  with  his  excel- 
lency, came  one  evening  at  eight  o'clock,  to  conduct 
them  before  the  chief  of  the  state,  who  resided  in  a 
portion  of  the  Government  Palace,  in  the  Plaza  de  la 
Cathedral.  On  leaving  their  carriage  in. the  Plaza, 
our  party  found  themselves  in  the  Porter's  Hall, 
which  was  so  badly  lighted  that  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  Anna  and  Bochsa,  who  were  unacquainted 
27  '■         (313) 


314  ANNA    IN     MEXICO. 

"with  the  locality,   followed   General  V to   the 

grand  staircase.  At  the  foot  of  this,  two  soldiers 
were  stationed,  mere  boys  in  ^pearance.  Our 
artists  went  throi^h  many  immense  reception-rooms, 
some  not  lighted  at  all,  others  with  but  a  single 
candela  in  immense  chandeliers,  which  could  contain 
thirty  or  forty  easily.  Not  a  soul  was  seen,  and  all 
looked  so  dismal  and  lonely,  that  one  could  easily 
fancy  himself  to  be  wandering  through  an  old 
chateau,  haunted  and  tenanted  only  by  ghosts, 
instead  of  in  the  gay  and  splendid  abode  of  a  Mex- 
ican ruler.  At  the  end  of  a  dark  passage  stood  a 
huge  iron  door,  some  seven  or  eight  feet  high.  It 
was  closed,  but  was  opened  immediately,  on  a  par- 
ticular watchword  being  given  by  their  conductor, 

General  V .     Our  artists  -were  now  in  the  private 

apartments  of  his  excellency ;  but  the  same  darkness 
reigned  here,  the  same  solitude  existed  as  before ; 
and  our  party  was  preceded  only  by  a  servant  with 
a  flat  candlestick  in  his  hands.  The  General  told 
our  artists  to  be  seated  a  few  moments  in  the  draw- 
ing-room, while  he  would  inform  his  excellency  that 
they  were  in  waiting.  Soon  he  returned,  and  the 
Lady    Anna   and    Bochsa   were    introduced   into   a 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  315 

spacious  drawing-room,  in  which  their  conductor  said 
the  President  was.  As  this  saloyi  was  also  dark,  like 
the  rest,  our  artists  looked  vainly  around,  to  see 
•whither  they  should  direct  their  steps,  or  where  make 
their  premiere  oheissance.  Bochsa,  heing  somewhat 
near-sighted,  was  in  quite  a  cruel  dilemma ;  but  the 
bright  eyes  of  the  prima  donna  discovered,  near  a 
distant  window,  a  small  table,  upon  which  dimly 
burned  two  flickering  candles.  Near  the  table  was 
a  large  arm-chair,  and  in  it  was  seated  his  excellency. 
The  President  received  his  visitors  with  great  affa- 
bility, asking  Anna  many  questions  regarding  her 
provincial  tour  in  the  Mexican  country,  and  thanking 
the  Chevalier  Bochsa  for  his  dedication  of  the 
Symne  Nacionale.  He  addressed,  afterward.  Ge- 
neral Vanderlinden,  wJio  was  his  private  physician, 
in  regard  to  his  health ;  and  our  artists,  taking  this 
as  a  "cue"  for  their  exit,  made  their  excuses  and 
left  the  presence  of  the  President. 

The  General  accompanied  Anna  to  her  carriage, 
and,  chemin  faisant,  Bochsa  remarked  to  him,  that 
the  President  did  not  seem  to  have  an  extravagant 
establishment,  and  inquired  the  amount  of  his  salary 

as  chief  of  the  state,  or  rather  of  the  republic. 
27 


316  ANNA    IN    MEXICO. 

"  One  hundred  piastres  per  day,"  replied  the 
General ;  "  not  always  paid  very  punctually.  But," 
added  Vanderlinden,  "  Herrera,  though  not  the  right 
man  to  head  so  vast  and  various  a  country  as  this, 
has  the  merit  of  being  a  good  husband  and  father, 
and  no  doubt  is  as  economical  as  possible,  knowing 
that,  in  the  disturbed  state  of  the  country,  where 
revolutions  are  ever  working,  like  volcanoes  in  a 
mountain,  an  eruption  of  the  lava-minded  people 
may  occur,  and  he  be  assassinated  or  turned  from 
oflfice,  without  an  hour's  notice." 

The  artists  returned  to  their  lodgings  to  make 
preparations  for  the 

FINAL    DEPARTURE. 

Anna,  being  in  deep  mourning,  was  prevented 
from  calling  on  her  numerous  friends,  but  was 
obliged  to  send  her  "P.  P.  C."  cards  and  sad  notes 
of  adieu,  to  the  many  who  had  been  so  kind  to  her. 
Her  accounts  being  all  settled,  and  her  banker  hav- 
ing transferred  for  her  gold  good  paper  on  New 
York,  London,  and  Naples,  regretted  by  her  many 
friends,  the  favorite  Anna  and  the  popular  Bochsa 


ANNA    IN    MEXICO.  317 

left  Mexico  for  Vera  Cruz,  in  the  diligencia,  on  the 
10th  of  May,  and,  passing  without  adventure  through 
romantic  Puebla,  over  the  famous  Punta  Nacionale, 
and  by  the  blood-stained  heights  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
they  reached  Vera  Cruz  in  a  few  days  afterward. 
There  they  went  immediately  on  board  of  her  Bri- 
tannic Majesty's  steamer  the  "  Severn,"  on  their 
way  to  Mobile,  where  they  intended,  amidst  its 
amiable  and  genteel  society,  to  enjoy  a  few  days  of 
repose,  before  returning  to  the  busy  metropolis  of 
the  New  World,  New  York.  Not  a  week  elapsed, 
after  Anna  left  the  capital  of  Mexico,  before  the 
palace  and  the  cot,  the  hovel  and  the  barrack, 
resounded  with  the  groans  of  the  suffering  and  the 
dying:  the  cholera  had  reached  the  great  city. 

Vive  la  bonne  etoile  de  T enchanteresse  Anna; 
and  Heaven  grant  that  it  ever  shine  brighter  and 
brighter ! 


THE     END. 


6285     11 


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